A CHOCOLATE LOVER'S KIND OF HOLIDAY: Valentine's Day sweet for local businesses

La Crosse Tribune, Feb 14, 2002 by Cahalan, Steve

Despite a slower U.S. economy sales of Valentine's Day gifts have been up slightly from the past few years, several La Crosse business owners said Wednesday on the eve of the holiday.

"We're finding it is a little bit busier" than a year ago, said Ben Skemp, co-owner of Monet Floral & Gifts at 509 Main St.

"Our valentines orders (from customers) probably started coming in last Saturday," Skemp said, adding that was about two days later than usual. "They really started booming Monday."

People aren't cutting back on valentine gifts despite the economic slowdown, Skemp said. "With everything happening, they want to give something to their loved ones," he said.

The floral shop's biggest-selling valentine gift is red roses, Skemp said. Most flowers will be delivered to sweethearts today, although some were delivered Wednesday. Monet Floral will have about a dozen drivers making deliveries today, compared with two or three drivers a day most of the year, Skemp said.

"It's the number one holiday" for cut flowers, Skemp said.

Mother's Day is a bigger holiday overall for the floral industry, with many live plants being sold, he said.

"We've seen an upturn" in Valentine's sales, said Lynne McIlvaine, president of Crescent Jewelers at 429 Main St. "we've been doing some extra advertising. We've been selling gift items from $15 to $1,000."

With the U.S. economic slowdown and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, she said, "I think people tend to use their resources closer to home and buy something that is more lasting."

McIlvaine said engagement ring sales have increased in the past few months, for weddings later in 2002 and 2003. "I think it had something to do with Sept. 11," she said. "People are cherishing their loved ones and realizing life can be short."

Valentine's Day is second only to Christmas in sales of greeting cards, said Dianne Baker, who with her husband, Allen, owns Allen's Hallmark store in Valley View Mall.

"I did a comparison yesterday - right now it looks like we're a little ahead of last year" in sales of valentine items, Baker said. Popular valentine items at the store include cards, balloons and collectibles.

"Business is maybe a little above normal" compared with past Valentine's Days, said Bill Espe, co-owner of The Sweet Shop at 1113 Caledonia St. The store makes its own chocolate candy and ice cream.

"We've sold a lot of regular boxed candy," Espe said. "A lot of the (heart-shaped) boxes don't go until the last few days. Men wait until the last minute" to buy candy for their valentine. Candy sales increase for about 10 days before Valentine's Day, and probably will peak today, Espe said.

"Christmas is our busiest season, then Easter and then Valentine's Day," Espe said. Turtles are the store's biggestselling candy year-round and for Valentine's Day, Espe said.

Ice cream sales also increase at his store on and before Valentine's Day, he said. "A lot of people have a sundae or a malt while they're waiting," he said.

"Beauty and bath items for women and shaving items for men pick up at this time of year," said Jayne Shillings, manager of About Face at 500 Main St. Sales of those items have been increasing in the past two weeks, because people are buying them as valentine gifts, she said.

About Face opened last May, so Shillings could not compare sales to last Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day usually doesn't lead to an increase in February weddings, said La Crosse County Clerk Marion Naegle, whose office issues marriage licenses. But if Valentine's Day falls on a weekend, there can be a few more weddings that weekend than usual, she said.

The busy season for weddings is from May through September, Naegle said. "People like the warmer weather better," she said.

Naegle said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have had only a very small effect on the number of marriage licenses issued by her office, and that was only in the weeks after the attacks.

"A few couples called right after that, especially when the military started calling people up," she said. "That's when we noticed a few people coming in wanting to get married. But since then, the number of marriage licenses has stayed pretty steady."