Love is in the air for Gainesville businesses.
Local flower shops are expecting a bloom in sales, liquor stores are preparing for wine-fueled dates and businesses are facing a shortage of balloons because of a worldwide helium shortage.
Several local florists have hired extra staff to help accommodate the increase in orders.
Gainesville Floral Exchange shop assistant Tiffany Richards said the store, 635 NW 13th St., receives between six and 10 orders on a normal day of the year.
But during the Valentine’s Day season, which runs from Wednesday to Saturday, it’s a different story.
“We process about 1,000 orders in three days,” she said. “That’s a lot.”
Richards said the store hires about 60 extra workers just to keep up with business.
The situation is similar at other local shops.
Crystal Rodriguez, assistant florist and receptionist at Gainesville Flower, 3545 SW 34th St., said the store’s phones ring off the hook during and leading up to the holiday.
“It doesn’t go more than five minutes of quiet,” she said.
And with about 500 orders on Valentine’s Day alone, she said workers don’t get a chance to sit down. The store has to hire three to four extra people to help.
Even with a higher holiday price point, she said the store sometimes runs out of flowers, especially of this season’s trend: pink roses.
But whatever choice a customer makes, Richards said she thinks it will be a good one.
“Everyone wants to show their appreciation for their significant other,” she said. “And all women love flowers.”
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Stores may come up short for those looking to buy balloons for their lovers.
A current chemical shortage has rendered helium harder-to-get.
The gas is a nonrenewable resource, said Greg Labbe, director of a UF helium recycling facility. He said the shortage is caused by simple economics: The demand outweighs the supply.
“Helium is a very important scientific, medical and industrial element,” he said.
Local businesses are feeling impacts of the shortage.
Julie Joines, assistant manager of the Dollar Tree, 1335 NW 23rd Ave., said her store didn’t receive helium for three weeks in a row.
“It definitely affects us,” she said.
Students who wanted to purchase balloons for their significant others noticed the lack of helium as well.
When Brianna Bielski, a 20-year-old UF biology sophomore, went into The Party Store in Butler Plaza to buy her boyfriend balloons for Valentine’s Day, she couldn't.
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Many would say Valentine’s Day would be incomplete without a bottle of red wine or vintage chardonnay.
Local liquor stores have recognized the importance of the staple during the holiday and compensated for demand.
Rene Owens, a sales clerk at the ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, 318 NW 13th St., said Valentine’s Day brings in college students — mainly men — to buy bottles of red wine for romantic dinners.
“Wine complements the meal way more than hard liquor,” Owens said.
Other stores have noticed a similar trend.
Jigga Patel, an employee at Gator Liquor at 1203 SW 16th Ave., said Valentine’s Day causes a significant increase in sales for wine and a few other drinks.
“Some people also like Baileys and other — you know — girly drinks,” he added.
Jose Mantilla, a 21-year-old UF biology junior, said he understands why people would buy drinks at a liquor store and avoid going out to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
“A lot of girls think that going out to dinner is too mainstream,” Mantilla said.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 on 2/14/2014 under the headline "Businesses feeling the love from Valentine’s sales"]
