MANHATTAN (WABC) — Giving your sweetie a beautiful bouquet for Valentine’s Day? Thank a florist.<\/p>\n
The week leading up to Valentine’s Day is one of the most hectic for the floral business.<\/p>\n
Thousands and thousands of those gorgeous blooms go through Manhattan’s flower district.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
On the stretch of 7th Avenue, things are buzzing inside J-Rose.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
Roland has been right by the side of the owner, Troy, since day one when he opened his business in 2012.<\/p>\n
J-Rose is a standout in the floral district, where in the 1890s, wholesalers started popping up.<\/p>\n
They cater to florists and floral designers.<\/p>\n
Troy sources blooms and foliage from both local and international suppliers.<\/p>\n
“There’s a lot more love in the flower world than just roses on Valentine’s Day,” Iguina said.<\/p>\n
He imports florals and greenery from Italy, Japan, and all over the world.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Florists consider arranging an art and are full of passion for their craft.<\/p>\n
“I call it nature’s art, flowers always tell a story,” Iguina said.<\/p>\n
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