ALLENTOWN, Pa., — In a nondescript warehouse surrounded by barbed wire, blooming, vivid and bright flowers fill the inside — in some rooms literally to the ceiling.
Bustling around them are about a dozen workers with no time to talk. It's the week of Valentine's Day, and they are determined to "make sure it happens for you."
The fast-paced energy in the warehouse does not appear to have anyone seriously worried. The air is filled with sweet-smelling, fresh flowers, and an easy-listening light rock radio station is playing, some workers can even be heard briefly humming along to Escape (The Piña Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes.
The process
Rich Mar Florist has been around, and in the same family, since 1955, spanning four generations. It has a tried-and-true method for getting ready for Valentine's Day.
An upcoming snowstorm is a consideration for the operation — but they say it's not the end of the world.
"Snow, like we're going to have this year, can really affect business," said Jonathan Morrissey, Richard Morrissey's son. He has been employed by the family business since 2003 and said he grew up around roses.
"Fortunately, we have all those products ordered. The product is ready to go. So you know, after the ordering, it will come to us from Ecuador, California, New Jersey, Australia, wherever that product comes from, it will start coming in and then we'll have to recut it, re-treat it, start designing everything."
"We'll be open and delivering on Wednesday. The roads should be clear, you know, clients and people receiving and sending flowers, just be patient with us. It's gonna take us a little bit of time. We're gonna get some snow here. So it's going to slow us down. But just be patient: we're going to make Valentine's Day happen for you."
Jonathan Morrissey, who operates Rich Mar Florist with his father
Jonathan Morrissey said the roses come in packages, and some need a little TLC after being in boxes, sometimes for international journeys. That includes water, nutrients, and other techniques to freshen up the flowers.
Under the wire
Richard Morrissey doesn't stop for a minute Monday — not even to answer the phone. Instead he opts for a clip-on headset, so he can work while fielding calls from suppliers and customers.
Although it was one of the busiest days of his year with hundreds of deadlines coming up, he appeared calm and collected, and thoughtful with his words. Looking down at a bustling bouquet that he was finishing up, he took his best guess at who it might be for.
"Well usually, when a person orders something like this, it's for—I wanna say this is for someone who really cares about the person," Richard Morrissey said.
Jonathan Morrissey said customers can be confident their flowers will get where they're supposed to go on Feb. 14.
"We'll be open and delivering on Wednesday," he said. "The roads should be clear, you know, clients and people receiving and sending flowers, just be patient with us.
"It's gonna take us a little bit of time. We're gonna get some snow here. So it's going to slow us down. But just be patient: we're going to make Valentine's Day happen for you."