USA: Florists cope with ice and snow to deliver Valentine's Day flowers

Record ID: 333365

  • Title: USA: Florists cope with ice and snow to deliver Valentine's Day flowers
  • Date: 14th February 2014
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 14, 2014) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF LEE'S FLOWER AND CARD SHOP WITH ICY SIDEWALK OUTSIDE EBONI YOUNG, FLOWER DELIVERY WOMAN, CARRYING BOUQUET OUT TO DELIVERY TRUCK DELIVERY TRUCK DRIVER DAVID BROWN LOADING BOUQUET INTO TRUCK (SOUNDBITE) (English) EBONI YOUNG, FLOWER DELIVERY WOMAN, SAYING: "You wear the best-gripping shoes you can an
  • Embargoed: 1st March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Business,Industry,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAGT0UL3ZPI9B3S0H3G66YH7U8
  • Story Text: Florists in Washington, D.C. coped with the aftermath of a winter storm on Friday (February 14), determined to get Valentine's Day flowers delivered on time despite icy and snowy conditions.
    Flower delivery woman Eboni Young climbed over snowbanks and balanced on an ice-covered sidewalk outside Lee's Flower and Card Shop to load bouquet after bouquet of roses into trucks.
    "You wear the best-gripping shoes you can and turn the heat on your toes, so that way you won't freeze," Young said.
    Their truck filled with flowers, Valentine's Day was sure to be busy, said flower delivery man David Brown, who navigated through roads that were still unplowed one day after the storm dropped nearly a foot of snow (30 cm) on the nation's capitol.
    "We have 36 stops all over the D.C. northern region," Brown said.
    Along the route, their tires spun in an intersection and Young was forced to get out in a deep snowdrift.
    "It's a little hard trying to navigate through the streets, but I think we're going to have fun today laughing at all of our funny sticks in the snow, like we did back there trying to get out of the ice. But it is what it is, it's Valentine's Day, people want their flowers, I'm waiting for mine, so we'll make it happen," Young said.
    Having a dedicated delivery team is essential, with Valentine's Day making up about 25 percent of revenue for the year, shop owner Rick Lee said.
    "It's the biggest. It's the most intense, because it's all one day. You know, folk, for some reason, they don't like to have them delivered before Valentine's, they want them on Valentine's. So it's very intense, and it is our biggest day. I mean, without a decent Valentine's, probably our year would be shot," Lee said.
    With hundreds of roses and scores of giant teddy bears and balloons, the store's staff was prepared for many last-minute customers. Still, even though they are open for business, Lee imagined some would still use the weather as an excuse if they don't come through with a gift for their sweetheart.
    "Well, they may not be in as much trouble because of the snow, you know, they can always blame it on the snow, right? Yeah," Lee said, laughing.
    Setting off for another snowy stop along his route, Brown said snowy roads were a worthwhile challenge to deliver Valentine's flowers and their messages of love.
    "I love Valentine's Day. It's one of the most special days of the year, until I get rid of all these flowers."
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