V

alentine's Day warms the hearts of lovers
and the merchants who supply them
with sentimental goods.
Steve Coden of Steve Coden's Flowers
in Southfield's Travelers Tower triples
his delivery and design staffs and orders
at least three times as many flowers as
normal to prepare for Feb. 14. Every last daisy, rose
and lily disappears from his coolers.
Barry Lawton of Barry's Let's Rent It in West
Bloomfield knows from previous years to keep plen-
ty of red linens and lacy white tablecloth overlays on
hand to satisfy lovebirds' urge to cook for their sig-
nificant others on Valentine's Day. Customers also
clamor for shiny milar balloons with romantic senti-
ments emblazoned on them.
Gary Wachter expects to empty David Wachter &
Sons Jewelers in Birmingham of its many heart-
shaped designs and to assist plenty of starry-eyed
couples shopping for engagement rings, and dewy-
eyed husbands and boyfriends in the grip of love.
At Gayle's Chocolates in Royal Oak and Birming-
ham, business multiplies about 10 times on Valen-
tine's Day. Owner Gayle Hart adds a second shift for
her kitchen staff, which cranks out plenty of choco-
late roses and truffles — a favorite on Valentine's Day
— and heart-shaped desserts that she serves in her
stores.

Bricker-Tunis Furs in Birmingham assists
plenty of extravagant husbands and boyfriends
this time of year. A customer recently ordered
a sheared beaver jacket for his wife instead
of his usual gift of flowers, owner John Tunis
said.
Dianne and Ernie Schneider of Dianne's
Hallmark in Bloomfield Hills sell lots and lots
of romantic sentiments, but they also move
plenty of Beanie Babies — bean-stuffed crea-
tures that are all the rage — and chocolates.
And Mike Valente, head chef at Maria's of
West Bloomfield, booked most of the restau-
rant's tables for tonight two weeks ago.
Valentine's Day for these merchants is often
as good as a day during the Christmas season.
It's also the time of year when imaginations
soar.
Ms. Hart said she often gets requests to re-
move a single chocolate from a box of Valen-
tine's Day chocolates to make room for a ring.

On Valentine's Day 1997:

341W'
• Approximately 950 million valentines w ill
be exchanged in the U.S., second only to
Christmas cards, of which 2.6 billion were
exchanged last year.

•

•

35 million heart-shaped
boxes of chocolate will be
sold.

$709 million will be spent on candy, making it the fourth
largest confectionery holiday behind Halloween, Christ
tmas and Easter.

Steve Coden helps keep the bloom on
romance.

time we've had that request," Mr.
-Tunis said.
At David Wachter & Sons, a
* An anticipated $136 million worth of roses will be sold.
husband shelled out $10,000 for
4.0 39 percent of flowers bought are roses, 89 percent of a necklace upon which hung a 2-
carat heart-shaped diamond set
those red, followed by mixed bouquets and carnations.
into
an 18-karat gold frame in the
• 70 percent of flower buyers are men.
shape of a heart.
"Sometimes people will get a
Sources: the Greeting Card Association, National Confec-
bigger piece because Cupid has
tioners Association I Chocolate Manufacturers Association,
shot them with an arrow," Mr.
and Allied Florists Association.
Wachter said. 'We had some peo-
"Some people are a lot pickier, ple buying things in January just because they felt
whereas others will pick up anything like it. They had no particular holiday or anniversary
for Valentine's Day. I call it the oblig- they were celebrating, but they felt they didn't do
atory holiday. But there are some much for the holidays and wanted to get a little some-
people who really do it with love in thing."
In his 37 years in the flower business, Mr. Coden
their hearts," Ms. Hart said.
Mr. Valente has arranged to has met plenty of suitors, but he recalled only one tru-
place engagement rings in wine ly lavish request.
A gentleman asked him to deliver 12 dozen roses
glasses for the benefit of a loved one.
He's also hired violinists to stand in 12 different colors to his girlfriend, but he want-
at the ready for the marriage pro- ed the delivery person to first deliver a single red rose
in a bud vase.
posal.
Bricker-Tunis just put the finish-
"And then he would say, 'Just a moment,' and bring
ing touches on a three-quarter- the first dozen and then keep coming back with each
length, ranch-raised mink coat with dozen. By the time he got to the third dozen, the re-
heart shapes cut into it.
cipient was beside herself," Mr. Coden recalled.
"It had a detachable hood, and
The couple, he continued, did not end up happily
wed.
r
right
in
the
hood
Gary Wachter puts
there was a heart.
"He came back a year later about to marry anoth-
a glimmer into
That was the first er woman. I did his wedding," Mr. Coden said. ❑
Valentine's Day.