Employees at Blooms Flowers and Gifts were busy filling Valentine’s Day orders on Tuesday, even for the most last-minute shoppers.
“A lot of guys coming in yesterday… but today the phone’s been ringing off the hook,” said owner Colin Jorgensen.
“We opened up early, people were knocking on our door. It’s crazy, but Valentine’s usually is.”
It’s the first big occasion of 2023 for Jorgensen’s flower shop.
The owner says while this year has been busy, flowers were actually in higher demand during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID was a little bit of an anomaly. It actually made us busier in the floral industry,” Jorgensen said.
“This year isn’t quite to those standards, but it’s still a busy year… kind of back to the pre-COVID stuff.”
It’s a boost for his business’ bottom line and it’s preparation for other flower-giving holidays, where the rush is longer.
“It’s a few days that we’re celebrating (Valentine’s Day), whereas Mother’s Day, it kind of goes on for a week, so it’s a bit more of a holiday for us where we’re impacted more,” Jorgensen said.
“Our restaurant has been busy… our phones have been going non-stop for the last couple weeks about Valentine’s Day,” said Cayley McNeill, marketing manager at Firestone Restaurant & Bar.
The food industry is also expecting an active evening.
Dinner reservations at Firestone have been full for the last two weeks.
“Since returning from COVID, Valentine’s Day has been super popular, but the business that we’ll receive on a Tuesday night is pretty similar to what we’ll see on a weekend, so we’re definitely ready,” McNeill said.
And it’s not just Feb. 14 where some businesses will get an economic boost.
According to McNeill, Tuesday’s influx of diners will also carry forward.
“We’ll definitely see a lot of traction for the next couple days for sure, if not weeks, from Valentine’s Day,” McNeill said.
“It’s a really good push that we get in the little bit slower time of the year.”