Baltimore's Small Businesses Are Ready For Valentine's Day

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Local Baltimore business owners are getting ready for the busy upcoming Valentine's Day holiday with plenty of chocolates, gummy hearts, flowers and more.

At Wockenfuss Candies on Harford Road, store manager Andrea Jowanodwitch says the staff there have already made all the candy, truffles and more they need for the 14th, and are prepared for one of their busiest times of the year.

The store has dozens of heart-shaped boxes ready for customers to fill with candies of chocolates of their choosing.

"You can come in and pick your choice of heart, and pick from any of the candies that we currently have on the counter," said Jowanodwitch.

Down in Federal Hill, decadent chocolate-covered strawberries have been selling quickly over the last several days at Berries by Quicha on Light Street.

"You can pick one of 18 different flavors to go inside of the box," said LaQuicha Brown, the owner. "We have strawberries that say 'I love you,' we have edible roses and of course, we have chocolate-covered candy apples which is a new product that we just introduced."

Local florists like Fleur De Lis owner Lana Brown have also been preparing for one of their busiest days of the year. But she says there have been an exceptionally large amount of orders this year.

"It seems like it's getting busier by the day, each day and I assume Monday, the 14th is going to be absulutely crazy," she said.

Lana says prices have increased since last year.

"Prices for Valentine's Day are much higher this time, we typically go higher for Valentine's Day because there's high demand for red roses and for flowers in general but this year, they were pretty high up," said Lana.

Many businesses are offering extended hours for the holiday.

Fleur De Lis Florist is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the 12, 13th and 14th.

Wockenfuss Candies on Harford Road is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m on the 12th, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 13th, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the 14th.

Berries by Quicha is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 12th, 13th and 14th. Valentine's Day preorders are no longer available and customers must walk to the store to make a purchase.