LOVE SHELLS OUT THE CASH

Ellen Venturella of Cape Girardeau shopped for a Valentine card at Walgreen's.

The Valentine's Day holiday is a big money maker for retailers. This is everyone's chance to impress their significant others and show the people they love just how much you care about them.

Signs of love are often expressed with flowers, cards, stuffed animals, balloons, flowers, candy and yes, precious jewelry.

Valentine's presents a distinctive problem for retailers in that most of the sales occur right before and on Valentine's Day.

Reggie Reed, manager at Kirlin's Hallmark in West Park Mall, said the night before Valentine's is "crazy" and on Valentine's Day about 75 percent of her customers will be men standing in the card section.

She also said she gets a lot of business February 15.

It's the same in the floral business as well. Joyce Kuntze, owner of Arrangements by Joyce, said Valentine's Day is usually the number one day of the year for her business. More men than women have been making the purchases but the age group is very diversified from young to old lovers, she said.

"Valentine's Day is the most consolidated two-day period in the whole year," Kathy Landewee, manager at Knaup Floral, said of the floral sales at Knaup Floral.

Kuntze said roses are big sellers, but mixed bouquets are selling equally as well. Landewee said roses, star gazer lillies and carnations are the big sellers on Valentine's Day.

Greg Essner, manager at Mr. Bulkey, said he is seeing a good return on a Valentine's promotion at his store. With the purchase of a white teddy bear you get balloons free. His other big sellers are chocolate in heart-shaped boxes.

He also said that 80 percent of his business will happen Feb. 13 and 14. Before then, most people just come into the store to see what they have to offer.

Jewelers see an increase in sales during Valentine's Day as sentiment pushes many new lovers to pop the big question. Also, already married couples often buy jewelry for their significant others.

Lisa Imrie, manager at Rogers Jewelers in West Park Mall, said that the wish registry has been an invaluable tool for people to let their lover know just what they want for Valentine's Day.

Imrie said that diamond heart pendants and engagement rings have been big sellers in what she has called a "phenomenal" year.

She said that Valentine's Day has now surpassed Mother's Day as their biggest retail time of the year.

Imrie said that she only has one dud on the shelves. Diamond tennis bracelets haven't sold like they have in the past. She said she thinks it is because everyone's got one and they don't know that they can trade them in for a larger one.

Kent Zickfield, owner of Zickfield Jewelers and Gemologist, has had success selling heart pendants and lockets. He said his business will pick up at the last minute.

Zickfield said the Valentine's Day sales period is a nice up-turn for the beginning of the year, but it is still behind Mother's Day and Christmas.

Shirley Shoemaker, assistant manager at Michelson Jewelers in West Park Mall, said besides good sales in diamond heart pendants and diamond solitaires, she also has sold a lot of diamond earrings.

How are these businesses attracting customers? Most have Valentine's Day displays located at the front of their store and with that they also run advertisements in newspapers, on the radio and TV as well as some direct mail advertisement campaigns.

But what about businesses who don't try to push Valentine's Day.

Mike Sprouse, owner of River City Coins and Jewelry, said that even though he doesn't do anything special for Valentine's Day he still sees an increase in business. The one specific Valentine's item he does sell -- pure silver ounces inscribed with Valentine's messages -- has already sold out.