Feb 8, 2009

Local flower shop owners fear lower sales this Valentine’s DayBy Jessica HeffnerOxfordPress.com

Middletown — Poor weather and a Saturday holiday have local shops worried about slow sales this Valentine’s Day.

While a survey by the National Retail Federation finds that consumers plan to spend nearly $102 — 17 percent less than last year — on their sweetheart, local owners say their sales beg to differ.

“We work 36 hours straight usually,” said Roger W. Conner, owner of Flowers by Roger in Middletown. “We usually put about 1,000 orders in the day. Whether you are poor or rich, you are always in love and they always send roses. It doesn’t matter.”

What may have more of an affect on sales is that Valentine’s Day lands on a Saturday this year — meaning fewer people will send flowers to their significant other at work, he said.

“We are advising people to deliver them at work on Thursday and Friday so they can have them that week. Ladies love to get flowers at work. Sometimes it’s not the flowers, it’s the idea of being special,” Conner said.

At Brenda’s Flowers & Gifts in Franklin, owner Nikki Penix said the shop will be offering free delivery on Friday to encourage consumers to send them to their sweetie’s work.

Despite the recession, other holiday sales have been higher than previous years, which makes Penix believe they will be about the same this year.

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