Local Florists Prepare for Busiest Week of the Year
By: Kristin Anderson
Updated: February 9, 2013
"We started on the 4th preparing containers and getting ready for our flowers to come in," said Baack's president Luke Harwell.
"Today, I've done probably 200," an employee said as she fixed bows.
That's because Valentine's Day is like Christmas for flower shops. They are expecting over a thousand orders for bouquets and arrangements.
"Those three days, will be about half of a normal month's revenue," explained Harwell."It's pretty wild."
That means a lot of work needs to be done before the fourteenth. Temporary workers are brought in to help, the store has hired about 15 to 20 extra delivery drivers, and a few thousand rose stems were ordered back in January.
But Baack's has it down to a science. Offering three different sizes and planning ahead for the supplies needed with a simple equation.
"I plan the exact recipe for each one of those sizes. And so when I order the flowers, I know exactly how many stems I'm going to need. How much greenery how many containers," Harwell said.
Planning like that is essential to making sure they get what they need and not overspend, as the prices of flowers rise around this time of year.
"They go way up," said Harwell. "You know, it's a common misconception that florist just rake in the dough during the holiday. But it's because how much the farms, on the farm level the prices go way up."
The flowers may be expensive, but Baack's is still planning on having a successful Valentine's Day.

