Little love for vendors this Valentine’s season

There was no mad rush, no last-minute scramble, and none of the usual Valentine's Day hassle that vendors have grown accustomed to over the years, as sellers across sections of Kingston reported that business was unusually slow this season.

When THE STAR visited the Half-Way Tree area the day before Valentine's Day, the change was hard to miss. Stalls decked out in red and white stood ready with baskets, teddy bears and chocolates but the customers were scanty. Donna, a vendor of more than 30 years, who is usually stationed on Duke Street in downtown Kingston -but was selling in Half-Way Tree - said she prepared as she always does, expecting the usual surge.

"Sales slow this Valentine's compared to the one them before. Even if people nuh come out come buy days before Valentine's, pon the day itself wi usually get nuff people come buy," she said while straightening ribbons on a basket.

"That's why me make so much basket cause me know the demand is always high, but things look scanty. Mi know mi nah sell them expensive either, so that a nuh the case, and mi always sell good things weh people want. Mi don't know if a the effects of the storm same way, but the people dem nuh seem fi a celebrate this."

A few stalls down, Marcia, who has been in the 'Valentine's trade' for more than two decades, shared similar concerns as she watched the hours pass without much activity.

"I've been here from around 8 a.m. and I've sold only one basket. Yesterday ((Thursday - two days before February 14) was not a whole lot of sales either. Normally, wi a sell off and a wonder if wi fi make more fi carry go the next day," she expWlained. However, Marcia was careful not to complain too much as "the time still early and sales can gwaan".

Throughout the morning, THE STAR observed the occasional motorist pulling up to the curb to grab items in a hurry. Some buyers barely stepped out, choosing instead to make quick selections before driving off.

One such customer, Oshane Brown, admitted that his purchase was more out of necessity than tradition.

"Normally, mi woulda order online and plan things proper, but time just catch up pon me this year," he said. "Mi just decide fi pass through and get her a one basket. It simple but she can't say she nuh get nothing."

Vendors say that kind of scaled-down gesture may be part of a wider shift in how people are choosing to celebrate.

Prudence Garrison, who intentionally kept her offerings on the lower end of the price scale - starting at $3,000 - said customers were not turned off by cost.

"It's not about price. People just nah celebrate, or them jus a find simpler ways of celebrating. Some woman a stay home and cook fi dem man. Young people more into going out, so nothing much nuh really gwaan fi make a profit this year," she reasoned.

Despite the lull, there were still scattered reminders of Valentine's cheer. At one point, a woman walked away smiling, carefully balancing two large baskets in her arms.

When THE STAR returned on Sunday to get a post-Valentine's assessment, there were very few sellers in sight.

Sixty-year-old Hyacinth Rodney, who prepares baskets not only for Valentine's Day but also for other internationally recognised celebrations such as Mother's Day, Father's Day and Teachers' Day, described this year as one of the most disappointing she has seen.

"Valentine's Day mi coulda always count on fi make a profit, and even if mi nuh mek back the profit, I would make back what I spend," she said.

"Not this year. Nothing nuh sell. My loyal customers come through, but even some of them weh used to buy every year stop. Mi have nuff basket weh mi just haffi go pull dung and sell, but Valentine's this year neva big like the rest."