GRANDVILLE, Mich. — Love is in full bloom at Stems Market in Grandville as Valentine's Day approaches, bringing with it the busiest week of the year for the local flower shop.
For owners Jeff and Michelle Drake, Valentine's week doesn't just last a day — it starts Sunday when truckloads of flowers arrive at their shop.
"We have just shy of about 50,000 stems that came in this week, and about 10,000 of those are roses," Jeff Drake said. "By the time Friday and Saturday hit, it's absolutely crazy. We'll see around 2,000 people come through during Valentine's week."
The pace starts steady and light on Monday, but by Friday and Saturday, the shop operates nonstop through the night to meet demand.
Stems Market handles both walk-in customers and deliveries, with designers carefully preparing arrangements throughout the extended hours. The shop brings in extra staff to ensure no last-minute romantic gesture goes unfulfilled.
The team assists everyone from first-time flower buyers to longtime customers, walking them through available options and helping them plan the perfect Valentine's Day surprise.
"It's really fun to be introducing people to like, this is how our markets work. This is what you get to do. These are our flowers. So I think it's fun when we get those people who are coming in to buy flowers for the first time, and we get to introduce them to the beauty of that process," Michelle Drake said.
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