CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — For flower shops, the day before Valentine's Day is like Christmas Eve — and in Chicago, flowers have been flying out the door.
Inside LaSalle Flowers, located at LaSalle and Superior Streets, Rachel Harden was hustling to take care of customers. She was asked if she felt like Santa Clause.
“I could use some of his magic,” she said.
LaSalle Flowers has been around since the 1930s, and this is their busiest time of year. Harden said they do three times as much business on Valentine’s Day, if not more, than they do during any other time of the year.
That tracks with a report from the Society of American Florists, in which researchers estimated that over 250 million roses were produced specifically for Valentine’s Day. The 2022 report found that nearly one-quarter of Americans bought flowers or plants for the holiday.
Among those inside LaSalle Flowers on Tuesday: Johnny Romano, who was getting flowers for his mother and his grandmother.
“My mom raised me right,” he said.
As for keeping those flowers fresh, Harden shared some advice to keep Valentine’s Day flowers looking lovely.
“You have to cut the stems on a 45-degree angle before you put them in water,” she said.
Those who spoke with WBBM about buying flowers seemed less concerned about keeping them in bloom — and were more happy that they had gotten them on time.
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