Watanabe Floral

At Watanabe Floral, Joyce Kaneshiro (photo at left) gears up for the St. Valentine’s Day rush. The shop brings in 200,000 stems of roses, its largest order of the year for a single occasion. According to marketing director Monty Pereira, most of the roses come from Colombia and Ecuador, and 70 regular and 25 seasonal employees assemble the bouquets. Pereira expects a slower Valentine’s Day this year, not because of the economy, but because Feb. 14 falls on a Sunday. Still, be sure to order early. “There is nothing like receiving flowers at work,” he says. “And when you don’t [order them]—watch out!”