Kelley Roberts of Flowers by Shirley

Photo by Clinton Lewis

In the retail world, Valentines Day seems to bring out the men. At Shirleys Flower Shop on Broadway in Bowling Green, a man ordered five dozen red roses for his Valentine. It was about $400, said Shirleys co-owner Kelley Roberts. At the Paintn Place, a pottery painting studio on Magnolia Street, a young man painted a ring holder for his loved one. It had some information and dates on it, so we were thinking he was going to present a ring for Valentines Day, Paintn Place owner Linda Henry said. Such signs of affection dont surprise Debbie Shiffett, an employee at Riley-White Drugs and Riley-White Jewelry in Russellville. Theyre more faithful to Valentines Day than they are to Christmas, she said of her male customers. I have a customer who bought a big box of candy, a heart anklet, balloons and a card. One of Riley-Whites elderly male patrons hasnt been able to shop on his own for some time, so he sends his daughter to the store to buy things for his wife every Valentines Day. But men are still notoriously known as last-minute Valentines Day shoppers. The men will start soon, Barnes & Noble Booksellers community relations manager David Coverdale said on Wednesday. To help accommodate those who need a present fast on Friday, the Barnes & Noble staff will be available to help customers find Valentines Day-themed gifts, such as heart-shaped paperweights or the hot-selling book Greetings with Love. Or they can help a customer find a book about a subject their sweetheart adores. At Riley-White, employees also try to play cupid by suggesting unique gifts such as personalized charm bracelets, Shiffett said. But some customers dont need help at all, preferring to stick to traditional Valentines gifts, such as chocolate, stuffed animals, cards and flowers. At The Card Mart on Campbell Lane, both male and female customers snatch up more sweet than humorous cards, and they buy lots of balloons, stuffed animals and candy. Everybody wants a teddy bear or floppy-eared dog, and also a box of Russell Stovers candy, owner Ken Fitzpatrick said. About 1,000 pounds of candy are expected to be sold at The Card Mart for Feb. 14. Such sales make Valentines Day the second biggest-selling holiday behind Mothers Day for the store. Business also booms for local florists. Shirleys which has been in business in the same spot for 30 years receives thousands of orders for flowers every Valentines Day, Roberts said. The extra business means seasonal help is hired and employees are required to work into the night. Most customers want red roses delivered from Shirleys. Thats the Valentines flower, Roberts said. But some people like more complex bouquets, plants or even Beanie Babies. Roberts enjoys the challenge of getting it all together on time, and the thrill of helping a last-minute, walk-in shopper find the perfect gift for the one they love. Its just an exciting time, he said. You just hope and pray you dont get a lot of snow so we can deliver.