Valentine’s Day isn’t until Sunday but bouquets of roses
and boxes of chocolates were flying off shelves today. In fact the country’s
largest flower’s shop is already sold out – and when we visited-
things were hectic at the city’s chocolate factory in the Commercial Center.
Keith Swift today found that even in a time of recession, Belizeans were still
finding money for love.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Money can’t buy you love but at Florasol Belize it can buy you one of
these exotic bouquets.
Soli Arguelles, Florasol Belize
“I have single roses that are wrapped for $8 or $10 in a rose box
with a stuff toy it is $12 or $15 and so I suit any pocket. I have one dozen
roses, two dozen roses, I have very large mixed arrangements. Now I am trying
to put into the market the tropicals that belong to Belize and are so beautiful
because I love this country and I think the tropicals are so magnificent.”
The bad news is that Florasol is sold out. Soli Argüelles and her staff
are now working around the clock to fill existing orders.
Soli Arguelles,
“Valentine’s for me starts 
about a month before Valentine’s.
In December start putting in orders.”
Keith Swift,
“What is the hottest seller?”
Soli Arguelles,
“Mixed arrangements and red roses, that’s always because you
go from having somebody that just wants one thing as a token to his mom and
then you have the people that are really in love who want to make an impression
to the new girlfriend and you also have the little moms that get the carnations
for the little girls and little Valentine’s. It is all about love.”
“All about love” and a labour of love for Arguelles who has been
in the business for 30 years.
Soli Arguelles,
“I think the magic of flowers is that you can always soften someone’s
heart with flowers. Anybody can tell you that a woman loves flowers. I live
on the adrenaline of having lots of flowers. As soon as flowers come into the
floral shop, the energy starts – no matter how terribly tired I might
be the flowers give you a beautiful karma, it is something that makes you, it 
is just something that you really enjoy.”
And if flowers aren’t your thing – then Laurine Woods says chocolate
might be.
Laurine Woods, Laurine’s L Chocolate
“They can get a chocolate roses or a bouquet of chocolate, an assortment
of chocolate with panty ripper and pina colada, rum and raisins, you name it
or you can get the local stuff like the cashew nuts, peanuts, or you know –
those stuff.”
Keith Swift,
“Can someone come here and get an affordable gift?”
Laurine Woods,
“Of course. They can get something from 50 cents, 75 cents, $1 –
even $2.50 for an adult. This is one luxury that is cheap or affordable. I think
it is the luxury of having something that you can afford. It is not expensive
but you feel that you are being pampered. I think that is the idea behind chocolate.”
And so whether it is a chocolate rose – or a single rose – remember
it is the thought that counts.
Again Florasol is basically sold out but they will be open tomorrow
morning so you can still check with them on Baymen Avenue. Meanwhile Laurine’s
L Chocolates which is located inside the Commercial Center will be open tomorrow
and on Sunday. An interesting fact is that according to Soli Arguelles, Valentine’s
Day isn’t her busiest holiday. She says that Mother’s Day is.
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