Flower shops and chocolate aisles at local grocery stores have been a bit busier this week, with many people in a mad dash to find that perfect Valentine’s gift for that special someone.
“It’s Valentine’s Day; it’s a day of love,” said Robin Hood, a customer at Flowers on 9th in Lethbridge.
Valentine’s Day is also one of the busiest days for local retailers — especially flower shops.
“I would say on average 10 times busier than an ordinary normal average day,” said Sharon Ulrich, owner of Flowers on 9th, describing the uptick in business seen on Valentine’s Day.
With many flower shops seeing a lot of traffic, you may be surprised by what customers are hunting for this year.
“I got her a red rose,” said Chris Thompson, a customer at Flowers on 9th. “She likes The Bachelor, so I thought it’d be a good idea.”
WATCH: Roses are red, violets are blue, how has Valentine’s Day been for you?
Inspired by the popular hit television show The Bachelor, the classic red rose seems to be a popular choice this year, along with another growing trend.
“We’re not seeing a lot of trends. We are seeing the classic red roses, chocolates and teddy bears,” Ulrich said. “But something that we are noticing this year is a lot of women are coming in and buying flowers and chocolates for their colleagues and friends in their expressions for Valentine’s Day.”
Meantime, an older practice looking to break back into the dating scene is a service that connects singles.
“Matchmaking is not new, this has returned and I work to make happy couples,” said Sandra Juell, a matchmaker with Forever Love Agency.
Sandra is a local matchmaker and meets with clients in person, working to match people depending on their compatibility. According to her, it’s a much more personable interaction than online dating sites.
“People go to the internet, and many of the people they contact are fake, they don’t provide real information. So in my service, we speak with a client face-to-face,” Juell added. “This is a personal touch in my service.”
Regardless of trends, Valentine’s Day is major consumer holiday that contributes to Lethbridge’s local economy.
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