HANNAH WEAVER, HOST, :
Tomorrow is Valentines Day. Flora Warshaw went down to the New York City wholesale district to discuss with shop-owners how they are preparing for not only the big day, but how Trump’s proposal for tariffs affects even your flowers.
WARSHAW 1:
It’s 6AM on February 13th. It’s still dark out and pouring with rain. But flower shop owners on West 28th street are opening up shop and ready to get to work.
So how big is Valentines day for shops like these? AbraFlora, is a wholesale flower shop It’s surrounded by bouquets of all colours and sizes and people are rushing in and out of the store. Bill Shlink, one of the florists, explains the importance of valentines day for a store like this.
BILL SHLINK 1:
Yeah, it's a big day. We um, You know, generally this time of year is pretty slow in the flower district …but Valentine's you get this four or five day spike
BILL SHLINK 2:
(Flora) Do you get a lot of last minute boyfriends running in, not realizing it's a wholesale flower market?
Definitely. Definitely. Yes, yes. And they don't even ask the price. So that's great.
WARSHAW 2:
Ally, is not a last minute boyfriend. She’s a floral designer, preparing for the big weekend ahead.
ALLY:
I am here to create a few arrangements for a wine bar down in the West Village.
It's Valentine's Day weekend, so yes it is for their Thursday, Friday, and Saturday dinner.
WARSHAW 3:
The New York City Flower district has been here since the 1870s and it remains a very tight knit community
BILL SHLINK 3:
It's a lot of family owned businesses and everybody knows everyone, you know I mean, I could walk down the block and you'll see me waving and stuff to almost everybody. Uh, even customers, they've all, they've been around for many, many years.
WARSHAW 4:
Yet as Valentines day prep is underway, the threat of tariffs still loom.
Trump is set to resume his tariffs on Mexico and Canada in a few weeks. Store owners are also concerned tariffs with Colombia might go into effect. And if they do, it could affect something as simple as your floral bouquet.
Flower’s found in these wholesale shops come from all over the world. Joe Glazer is the owner of FleuraMetz, another shop in the district.
JOE GLAZER 1:
All our flowers are grown in South America, Ecuador, Columbia, uh, Holland, um, Mexico, uh, Canada. You know, it's a, it's a wide range.
WARSHAW 5:
And so, he says, the cost of the flowers could go up.
JOE GLAZER 2:
We’re preparing ourselves yes. Hopefully we don’t have to increase our prices to our customers.
WARSHAW 6:
Florist Bill Shlink
BILL SHLINK 3:
Uh, my take on that is though, if it affects me, it's affecting the next guy, gal, next guy, gal.So we all kind of have to You know, uh, absorb it together.
WARSHAW 7:
But if there’s one thing these florists can agree on, it’s the uncertainty.
ED BOUT 1:
If tariffs come in, it's gonna, you know, increase the flowers a little bit, but I'm not sure how long that's gonna last either, so, you know, I don't know. I have a good feeling that everything should be fine.
WARSHAW 8:
For now, all they can do is prep for the big day ahead.
JOE GLAZER 3:
Happy valentines Day!
WARSHAW 9
I’m Flora Warshaw from Uptown Radio.
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