A BUYER spends an average of P2,000 to purchase a bouquet of flowers for Valentine’s Day.
For Kalidades House of Flowers proprietor Angeli Lim, expressing love through flowers helps articulate how one feels for another person.
Lim and her husband Vince bought Kalidades from its previous owners in 2008 and since then, like their love maturing over time, their flower shop business continued to bloom.
Lim said that gift-giving has been how they expressed their love and they constantly sought ways to surprise each other with carefully thought-of presents.
“For us, these acts forged our relationship, which could also be true for other couples who are also in a committed relationship. Along the way, we started noticing that we were getting limited gift options here in Cebu, and that’s when we realized that we wanted a place that will constantly have gift ideas, apart from the usual bouquet of flowers,” said Lim.
Kalidades House of Flowers’ flagship store at Manros Plaza along Gen. Maxilom Ave. has been the go-to flower and gift item destination of Cebuanos for different occasions over the years.
“It makes us feel happy keeping track of growing relationships. It’s not just about serving them flowers. It’s making sure these clients end up with a special moment they won’t forget,” she said.
February, according to Lim, is their peak month, with buyers placing bouquet orders starting in the middle of January.
An advisory on their website informs clients that they no longer accept orders due to the volume of orders they have for Valentine’s Day.
“February is our peak month, to the point that we limit our bookings,” said Lim, adding that they schedule a cut-off on orders to maintain high quality.
Lim said Valentine’s Day is also a time when buyers turn a blind eye on high flower prices as long as it makes their loved ones happy.
A buyer, she said, doesn’t mind paying P2,000 for a bouquet.
Because flowers are considered the best presents all year round, Kalidades has developed their products for different holidays and seasons.
“We bring in unique ideas from other countries too that suit the preference of our clients”
One of these innovations is preserved flowers dubbed as eternity rose, which lasts for one to two years.
“We curate it by placing it inside a glass globe which is made from upcycled glass on a wood base. It is perfect for a bedside table display,” Lim said.
But for those seeking for a simplier modern version of it, varieties of eternity rose are offered in boxes, too.
They have also partnered with local suppliers.
“We used to import flowers in the beginning. However, we started to seek local suppliers who we think can also compete both in quality and quantity. This is our way of supporting the local industry, which we believe have so much to offer,” said Lim.