By Rylee Freeman, Staff Writer
As Valentine’s approaches and love fills the air, local florists are experiencing a busy time as customers search for the perfect gifts and floral arrangements. Mary and Martha’s, the only flower shop in Arkadelphia, has been a well-established part of the community for more than 90 years.
David Goodman, owner of Mary and Martha’s Florist and Gifts and an Ouachita Alumnus, shared insight on how a florist shop looks during the week leading up to Valentine’s Day. Near Valentine’s Day, “prices go up simply because the flowers move from the farm, to the wholesaler, to the vendor and demand increases,” Goodman said. “Prices will go up for a couple of weeks around Valentine’s Day, and then they will gradually go back down.”
A dozen roses is the most common Valentine’s order placed at Mary and Martha’s. “Everybody associates red roses with Valentine’s Day,” Goodman said. “We do a lot of those but we do tons of other mixed flowers, chocolates and teddy bears.”
As for inexperienced boyfriends, “it is common for customers to call and say that they’ve never ordered flowers before,” Goodman said. “We walk them through the process by asking their girlfriend’s favorite color or whether she likes chocolate.” Customers are guided through the ordering process with care and consideration. “There are a lot of people who have never ordered flowers before and we have to be cautious of that,” Goodman said. “We take care of every customer.”
To understand the minds of customers during the week of Valentine’s Day, several boyfriends around campus shared their perspective on buying flowers. “My girlfriend likes flowers, so I’m going to buy them through the flower shop in my hometown because the owner has never disappointed me,” sophomore Hayes Murphy said. “Depending on what is in stock and fresh, I plan to get her daisies, tulips and, of course, roses because it’s Valentine’s Day.”
Despite popular belief, flowers are not every girl’s ideal Valentine’s Day gift. “I do not plan to buy my girlfriend flowers for Valentine’s Day because she does not necessarily care for flowers,” sophomore Peyton Lee said. “My thought process is to spend the $100 I would use on flowers to buy her candy or a Lululemon shirt that she would appreciate more.” For certain couples, a thoughtful date or experience can be a meaningful replacement for flowers.
“I plan to buy flowers for Valentine’s Day because my girlfriend loves them,” sophomore Landon Proctor said. “She loves pink and red roses, which fit the Valentine’s theme. Her favorite flowers are hydrangeas, so I will definitely try to include those within an arrangement.” Proctor plans to shop locally through Mary and Martha’s for his Valentine’s Day floral needs.
Valentine’s Day is a holiday to celebrate love, and Mary and Martha’s is here to help each customer find the perfect flowers and gifts.
