MANHATTAN (WABC) — Giving your sweetie a beautiful bouquet for Valentine’s Day? Thank a florist.
The week leading up to Valentine’s Day is one of the most hectic for the floral business.
Thousands and thousands of those gorgeous blooms go through Manhattan’s flower district.
While most are still sleeping, a long-standing floral wholesaler in Manhattan’s Floral District on West 28th Street is gearing up for Valentine’s Day.
On the stretch of 7th Avenue, things are buzzing inside J-Rose.
“We’re all bustle, we’re from New York, that’s what we do, it’s a bustling city, alright,” Roland Iguina of J-Rose said.
Roland has been right by the side of the owner, Troy, since day one when he opened his business in 2012.
J-Rose is a standout in the floral district, where in the 1890s, wholesalers started popping up.
They cater to florists and floral designers.
Troy sources blooms and foliage from both local and international suppliers.
“There’s a lot more love in the flower world than just roses on Valentine’s Day,” Iguina said.
He imports florals and greenery from Italy, Japan, and all over the world.
Just to give you an idea of how busy they are, the store sells about 100,000 stems each day compared to roughly 20,000 in slower months.
Florists consider arranging an art and are full of passion for their craft.
“I call it nature’s art, flowers always tell a story,” Iguina said.
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