Valentine's Countdown, Day 2

Even a sour economy can't spoil the sweetness of Valentine's Day.

That's according to Barb Fredrickson, who manages the in Huntington Woods.

"We're going to have thousands of customers come in. We've been taking hundreds of orders," she said. "We have extra people. We've been working extra hours."

All that preparation is designed to meet the needs of customers who choose flowers to woo the object of their affections.

"Sometimes they'll drop a gift or a piece of jewelry off to incorporate with the roses," she said of gentlemen shoppers. "It's wonderful to see, in today's economy, these guys go above and beyond. They pick out their own flowers, they write their own cards. They're really quite sentimental. It's lovely to see."

But, she added: "Women are catching up."

Robert Thatcher of Ferndale is one of the thoughtful gentlemen. He was off to visit a friend Friday evening and popped in to pick up a red rose for her.

When asked whether he was a fan of Valentine's Day, Thatcher said with a chuckle: "Depends on the circumstances."

"(Giving roses) – particularly the red ones – is a way to focus the meaning of the moment," he said.

Thrifty Florist isn't the only place in Berkley and Huntington Woods to pick up roses for Valentine's Day. Click here for more suggestions. Thrifty Florist will be open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday and 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday.