SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Bright bursts of color are bound to break up the winter blues if you were to visit Fleur de Lis in South Portland. The team at this flower shop has been working hard in the past few days, getting ready for its single busiest day of the year: Valentine's Day.
Rachael Smith, owner of Fleur De Lis, said her team has been putting together Valentine's Day orders since Thursday and have completed between 300 and 350 arrangements total. On Sunday, they wrapped up the finishing touches and had about 100 orders left to deliver. Their delivery route encompasses 20 cities and towns, from Old Orchard Beach to North Yarmouth.
"We have a substantial amount of orders. We're at capacity," Smith said. "Every day is a gift."
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Fleur De Lis has been around for 18 years and is located at 460 Ocean Ave., in the city's former Market Basket building. The front station, where staff members wrap flowers for bouquets, was once the counter where Greek sandwiches were made, and the commercial walk-in where arrangements stay until they are delivered was previously the refrigerator for milk and beverages.
This endeavor has been a journey, for Smith. She retired from a for-profit health care job in 2015 and entered into the field of real estate, but floristry had always been a passion of hers. Smith said she used to work on her grandmother's farm in Whigville, Connecticut, as a child, and that's where her green thumb started to grow. In August of 2018, she purchased Fleur De Lis from its former owners and made her dream a reality.
"I love art, and I love playing with flowers, and I love working with our wonderful design team that has many, many years of experience," Smith said. "I love this community, and it's a fun job for the most part."
Those of us who have ordered arrangements for our sweeties this Valentine's Day may not have considered where the flowers actually come from, but it truly is a worldwide endeavor. Smith said their roses come from Ecuador; other plants, such as tulips, anemones and hyacinths, come from the Netherlands. In the summer, Fleur De Lis works with eight local farms to source a lot of the flowers it needs.
Valentine's Day is the single busiest day of the year, but Smith said May is the busiest month, with Mother's Day, graduations, and weddings. She said the shop stays pretty busy throughout the year, though, delivering flowers for everything from celebrations and holidays to funerals for people and pets.
Fleur De Lis is open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. It's also open Sundays by appointment. You can learn more about the shop on its website.