Shoppers Hunt For Valentine's Day Deals In LA's Flower District

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Vendors in downtown Los Angeles Friday were hoping for a last-minute surge in Valentine's Day floral sales.

Flower District florists were expected to stay open for 40 consecutive hours in order to accommodate customers on the second busiest day of the year for the California Flower Mall at 825 San Pedro Street.

The market was scheduled to stay open Friday through 9 p.m. or "until the last customer is served," said Hilda Jimenez, California Flower Mall operations director.

Some vendors like Andy Platon told CBS2's Joy Benedict they were already feeling the effects of the marathon event.

"I've been busy lately, haven't got no sleep...Three hours is not enough sleep for me," said Platon. "Thank God we've been selling flowers, roses, everybody is going crazy here."

The Flower District, which is the largest flower market in the U.S., offers discounts of up to 70 percent of retail flower and floral supply products, and is the only place in L.A. where shoppers can hope to find discounted roses on Valentine's Day.

While most shoppers were seen carrying long-stemmed red rose bouquets for their loved ones, KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports there's another flower that florists say has a little "something special" to put love into the air.

Jimenez says the white tuba rose with its tight small buds may not be much to look at, but when the buds open, the aroma is nothing short of legendary.

"It's an aphrodisiac," Jimenez said. "Women love it, and of course, men are rewarded over and over again."

Some of the other top-trending flower gifts include:

According to projections from the National Retail Federation, U.S. consumer spending this Valentine's Day is expected to reach $17.3 billion, with more than one third of total spending — 37 percent — on flowers.

In:
• Los Angeles