CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
City Florist owner Eric Kaneshiro said that roses and tulips are among the most popular flowers ordered for Valentine's Day.
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Floral declaration
Florist families with many Valentine's Days under their belts suggest how to make a romantic statement, with or without roses
By Jackie M. Young
Special to the Star-Bulletin
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Pickoun Wong, sales manager of Jenny's Lei and Flowers, has 30 years experience in the flower industry.
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Jenny's Lei & Flowers
65 N. Beretania St., Chinatown (parking on street); 521-1595
Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays
Something besides roses: How about a lei? "Our 'double rope' pikake lei are very popular," says owner Francis Wong.
Plumeria, pakalana and gardenia are hard to get this time of year, and 'ilima lei are rare because it takes many flowers to make a strand, Wong said. "But tuberose, carnation and orchid lei are available year-round."
About the shop: Pickoun Wong worked in the flower industry for 30 years and always wanted her own shop. Two years ago, Lloyd Roberts, the original owner of Jenny's (named for Roberts' wife) offered to sell his 27-year-old business to Pickoun and her husband, Francis.
"She convinced me to come out of retirement," said Francis Wong, 73, a former DOE teacher. "Now it's working 365 days a year, and vacations are hard to come by."
Francis is the owner; Pickoun is sales manager.
While it helps to be around all the other flower shops in Chinatown, that does mean more competition, he observed.
"We're mainly known for our lei and arrangements. We will do specific arrangements with a week's notice, but otherwise it's whatever we have when you walk in."
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Balloons that decorate City Florist on King Street can also be sent with floral arrangements.
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City Florist
1936 S. King St., McCully (parking in lot); 941-0322
Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays; 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays
Something besides roses: "If roses aren't available, people usually choose red or white tulips," said owner Eric Kaneshiro. "I would also recommend a vase arrangement of spring flowers, such as freesia, stock, tulips and sweetheart roses."
About the shop: Although Kaneshiro took over ownership only in July 2006, the Makiki resident worked for the former owners for about 21 years. "The Umeda family owned this business since 1935," said Kaneshiro, "and they wanted someone they knew to take it over."
Kaneshiro started as a floral helper, then gradually learned all the jobs in the store. "The Umedas were nice enough to send me to floral design classes," Kaneshiro pointed out, "but I also did all the other physical jobs of the business, and I learned that it's not glamorous and not fun." Kaneshiro says he averages at least 80 hours a week at the shop.
The shop was on King Street near Washington Saimin for decades, then on Piikoi Street for 15 years. It's been at its current location for more than two years.
"We've got a slightly different clientele at this location. Although we've maintained our long-time customer base, the new customers are younger and seem to want something more contemporary in design.
"It helps that we're next to two popular restaurants (Gulick Delicatessen and Jimbo Restaurant), and of course everyone goes down King Street."
His most popular flowers are roses, lilies, orchids and tropical flowers such as heliconia, protea and ginger. And with e-mail access to the mainland now, "we can probably get just about anything, any time, though of course prices are better in the off-season."
Kaneshiro is quick to point out: "There is always an occasion for flowers."
Rudy's Flowers
2357 S. Beretania St., Moiliili (parking in lot off Isenberg Street); 944-8844
Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays
Something besides roses: "Customers can also choose red tulips or red carnations," says owner Ernelle Chun. "It's usually heavy on the red."
About the shop: Chun started working in her father's flower shop on weekends when she was in high school.
When her father, Rudy Ogawa, died in 1999, Chun took over the business.
Most Moiliili residents remember Rudy's Flowers from the 20 years it was located on South King Street, next to Fukuya Catering. "We've been at this new location for about three years now," Chun said, "and we still get people just finding us again and saying they thought we closed down or something."
Her shop was recently chosen as the location of a "Lost" TV episode, and her walls are lined with celebrity customer photos, among them Kelly Preston (her father is a long-time customer), Richard Chamberlain, Kapono Beamer, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Pat Morita and Barbara Eden. As Chun spoke, Danny Kaleikini came in to buy some lei.
Although her daughter helps her on weekends, Chun doesn't think the business will stay in the family.
"As my father used to say, 'Flowers are a luxury item.' Between the bad economy and more competition from online flower businesses, we really are getting squeezed."