CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The National Retail Federation expects record-breaking Valentine’s sales this year.

It estimates $27.5 billion, topping last year when sales were $25.8 billion and breaking the record of $27.4 billion set in 2020.

But one local flower shop owner says inflation has nothing to do with it.

John Cram is like many men, waiting until the last minute to finish his Valentine’s Day shopping for his wife at Pierson’s Flower Shop and Green Houses in Cedar Rapids.

“I already got her a few things that I gave her a couple days ago,” he said.

His flower purchase is part of a record-breaking estimated Valentine’s Day sales. The NFT estimates the average person will spend $189. Owner Al Pierson said the increase in spending isn’t due to inflation. He said the price of his flowers has been the same at least for the last two years, but it comes down to what day of the week the holiday falls on.

“When it’s on Friday, the Valentine’s Day business is not as good as it is on Wednesday and Thursday,” he said.

As for the increase, when Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend it opens a lot, more options to celebrate.

“They can go out to dinner, they can go away for the weekend, take a vacation to somewhere warm besides Iowa,” said Pierson.

While flower sales aren’t the highlight of this year’s estimated record-breaking sales, Cram said it was still something his wife would appreciate.

“It’s got roses which she likes, but I know she likes things like this, I like the purple the greenery,” said Cram.

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