Appealing to our romantic side
Local merchants offer the giftware of love
By Angela Randazzo Special to The Acorn

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers BLING BLING- Karl Danielian of Athena & Co. Jewelry at the Simi Town Center shows off some of his more popular Valentine's items.

Romance was in the Simi air this past week as residents searched for the perfect gift to present to their loved ones on Valentine's Day.

And what is the most popular offering this year among the sentimental favorites- jewelry, flowers or candy? It depends on whom you ask.

According to Karl Danielian, owner of jewelry store Athena & Company in the Simi Valley Town Center, diamond pendants are flying off the shelves for Feb. 14.

"So far what have (been) doing well for me are my diamond pendants. The hearts aren't as popular as they used to be," Danielian said. "We've been doing more of the free-form shapes where the diamonds gradually get larger as they go down."

While diamonds are still No. 1 on Valentine's Day, there are other gemstones to consider, the jeweler said.

"Rubies aren't as popular as they've been in past years," Danielian said. "Sapphires- the pink sapphires- have been doing really well."

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers A DOZEN ROSES- Pat Pergler arranges 12 red roses for Valentine's Day customers at Michael's Flowers in Simi. Residents are finding they don't have to leave town to find the proper gift.

Danielian said Christmas is the biggest time of year for his business; then it's a tossup between Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

Diamond pendants are also popular with customers at Anderson Jewelers at 5 W. Los Angeles Ave. in Moorpark. The shop has been a fixture in town since 1987.

According to owner David Pardo, even the arrival of Valentine's Day doesn't convince most customers to go with a red or pink stone rather than a clear diamond.

"It's harder to sell colored stones because colored stones just don't go with as many outfits," Pardo said.

Pardo said he tends to see more males than females enter his store this time of year.

"It's mostly men buying gifts for their ladies. Women buy a watch or a gold bracelet," Pardo said.

For personalized gifts, customers drop by Engraving Wizard with mementos they already own. Owner Mike Lohman started his business 17 years ago in his Simi Valley garage before moving to a store at 1669 Tapo St.

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers DELECTABLES- Jenn Eads of Simi Valley throws up a peace sign as she finishes packing chocolate-covered strawberries into a gift box at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

"We engrave on wedding glasses and champagne glasses. We'll put a heart on it and their names," Lohman said.

"A lot of people get married on Valentine's Day, so it's a remembrance of their anniversary. The sentiments are 'With love' or pet names they call each other," said Lohman.

At Edible Arrangements, sweetheart gifts are not only special, they're a tasty treat. Owner Michael Grashel arranges pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes like a flower bouquet in a basket.

Grashel opened his store at 4316 Cochran St. last April, and it's his first Valentine's Day in business.

"The pineapples are cut into the shape of a daisy or a heart. We're doing them with hearts now and putting them in seasonal baskets," Grashel said. "We have a lot of requests to add chocolate to the strawberries for Valentine's Day."

Susan Horn has been a florist in Simi Valley for more than 30 years. She opened Flowers by Susan nine years ago in her home. Her business, which can be reached at (805) 306-0780, has grown mostly by referrals.

"Red roses are traditional and always go. I buy close to a hundred dozen every year, and I sell out every year," Horn said.

The price is high- about $80 to $100 a dozen- for long-stem, imported roses because wholesalers double the prices for retailers before the holiday, Horn said. But the quality of those flowers is guaranteed to make an impression on a significant other, she added.

"There's nothing like roses from South America or Holland," Horn said. "They're the best. Some of those colors last up to three weeks."

According to Horn, daisies are very popular this year and carnations are making a bit of a comeback.

Lori Nuss, assistant manager of See's Candy at 2845 Cochran St., said Valentine's Day is the store's biggest holiday. There was a line out the door last Saturday, with customers flooding in to buy chocolate hearts and assorted chocolates, Nuss said.

Over at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the Simi Valley Town Center, owner Jeff Trop said strawberries dipped in chocolate are a favorite valentine's treat.

"Chocolate strawberries are sold individually or a dozen in a little heart-shaped box," Trop said. "The strawberries come fresh every day from Oxnard and we dip them in chocolate."

Valentine gift-seekers tend to be lastminute shoppers, according to many of the business owners.

"Most of the customers come in here at the very last minute and tend to be predominately men," said Michael Mutal, owner of Michael's Flowers at 1951 Sequoia Ave. "They'll grab roses, mixed arrangements, almost anything we have."

Mutal said no matter what you choose, knowing what your loved one likes makes the gift more special.

"The person wants to feel special on the other end, whatever gift they are getting," Mutal said. "If what we provide does that, then we've succeeded."