By Bunmi Ishola
Transcript Staff Writer
Richard Mayeaux has always worked with flowers.
His family were flower growers, leading Mayeaux to begin arranging flowers at a very young age.
He got his first job as a florist when he was 17, opened his first flower shop when he was 19, and by the time he was 22, Mayeaux was in L.A. doing flower arrangements for celebrities’ homes.
“It was a very natural thing,” he said of his career as a florist.
Mayeaux came to Norman in 1988, and continued his career, opening Design 2000 Flowers & Gifts, 302 N. Porter Ave. Previously located on McGee St., this will be Design 2000’s first Valentine’s Day at its new location.
“We’re looking forward to a wonderful Valentine’s Day this year,” he said.
His store has been selling everything from roses and tulips to various exotic flowers. They have a far-reaching market, ordering flowers from all over the world.
“Floral design for years was almost a dying art,” Mayeaux said. Until Vo-tech schools began teaching classes, it was hard to find employees. Now they are “turning designers out” and rebuilding the industry, he said.
“What people don’t understand is that while it’s a fun job, it’s also a hard job. It requires long hours and a lot of work.”
Since florists now have the global market at their fingertips, instead of a local wholesaler as in the past, Design 2000, as well as other floral stores in Norman, have a new variety of roses. Mayeaux will be premiering a large variety of flowers at his store Valentine’s Day.
“It’s the most favorite for everyone,” he said of the flower. “Everyone wants roses and candy and balloons, so that’s what I’m suggesting (people buy).”
Ardella Loughmiller agrees. She said her store, Ardella’s Flowers, Pet and Garden Center, has coolers full of roses and bouquets. Because of the high demand, she said she has had to order extra help for Wednesday. About seven delivery trucks have been hired to begin runs at 6:30 a.m. Valentine’s Day and about 10 extra people for inside help.
She said the store has received orders to deliver all over town, some including very specific and special instructions, but says “it’s a little early yet, they are just price checking now.”
But Loughmiller encourages people to start ordering soon.
“We like for people to order early,” she said. “The sooner you order, the sooner it goes into the truck.”
Betty Lou’s Flowers and Gifts owners Betty Lou and Dwight Mitchell are adding lisanthius, which look like wild roses, to many of their bouquet arrangements. They enjoy the Valentine’s season because it’s a beautiful thing to see people in love, Dwight Mitchell said.
Owner of Earl’s Flower & Gifts, Earl Morren, said he’s amazed at how much people are willing to spend on the one’s they love.
“Money doesn’t seem to be any object,” he said. “Things are more expensive this time of year … but people don’t seem to quiver about the price.
“It’s amazing how much people spend on Valentine’s Day.”
In fact, his store has begun calling the holiday Valentine’s Week, stretching the day of love out for everyone to enjoy it longer. And it doesn’t hurt flower sales.
“If they want to purchase a day or two earlier, they aren’t defeating the point of Valentine’s Day since we actually call it Valentine’s Week now,” Morren said.
