With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Photo Essay: The Valentine's Day Hustle For LA's Street Vendors
Claudia Maldonado sells flowers alongside her daughter and mother on Vermont and 3rd Street in Koreatown.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Valentine's Day is all about the romance and amistad for some. The cuddles. The flowers. The fancy dinners. For others, this day is a hustle.
For a lot of street vendors in Los Angeles, Valentine's Day is the biggest day of the year — followed closely by Mother's Day, naturally. From Lincoln Heights to Koreatown to Santa Monica, people are out sellings flowers, balloons, teddy bears and all sorts of other goodies the color of red, white and pink.
The Valentine's Day hustle for flower vendors sometimes entails re-upping on supplies. Here, Jose Juarez, who runs a flower stand in Mid-City with his family, unloads fresh roses his wife bought at the L.A. Flower Market.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
A seasonal but serious business
Two sisters, Cathy and Elvia, and their cousin, Edna, are out at a gas station on Venice and La Brea selling roses with baby's breath as well as bunches of bouquets of lilies, red gerbera daisies and gladiolas, bunched up with eucalyptus. The trio started doing this at the beginning of the pandemic, three years ago. "It was better than doing nothing, bored at home," Edna says.
Support for LAist comes from
Cathy, a freelance florist, says she loves working with her hands and doing this twice or three times a year makes sense for her.
Two sisters, Cathy and Elvia (center and right), and their cousin Edna (left) sell flower arrangements at their stand on Venice and La Brea.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
They start their day at 5 a.m. to hunt at the L.A. Flower Market and bring their fresh goods to Mid City. Once they set up shop here, they begin to assemble the arrangements so the flowers bloom at the right time. Elvia coordinates a schedule so they have enough people to create the bouquets and greet customers.
Cathy gets creative at her flower stand by dipping roses in red glitter.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
"We do everything by hand, " Cathy says. "You could actually go to the farmer's market and purchase pre-packaged bouquets already. We don't do that. We actually freestyle all of the arrangements ourselves."
They sell outside the gas station they grew up coming to during their childhood years. This is their neighborhood. When asked about their prices, Elvia responds: "We try to keep it affordable for the community we're in."
As their business has grown over the years, they launched an Instagram page named "Marigold Arrangements" — an ode to their Oaxacan culture, which often uses xempasuchil for their traditional arrangements.
Support for LAist comes from
For a lot of flower vendors in Los Angeles, Valentine's Day is the busiest of the year.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Edna creates a bouquet at her cousin's flower stand on Venice and La Brea.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Flower vendors need to factor in the cost of materials like ribbon and and wrapping paper for the bouquets.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Selling all year round
Over in Koreatown, Lilia Lopez set up shop in a busy pedestrian corridor: Vermont and 3rd Street. She's been a street vendor at this corner for over 26 years — a legit pro. When she's not selling flowers or teddy bears, she's selling clothes, bags, anything to make ends meet, she says. Lilia mentions that she has three city permits to sell at this corner.
Lilia Lopez sells flowers, stuffed animals, and other Valentine's Day gifts at her stand on Vermnot and 3rd Street in Koreatown.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Lilia Lopez sells flowers, stuffed animals, and other Valentine's Day gifts at her stand on Vermnot and 3rd Street in Koreatown.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Support for LAist comes from
She also echoes what many vendors say: Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are the most lucrative. Lilia has to take into account the cost materials — boxes, ribbons, cards — to make her creations, which always goes up this time of year. Still, she says she turns a profit.
"No tengo el montón de dinero. No hago mucho dinero. Pero sí, puedo pagar mis biles, puedo pagar mi carro, puedo pagar mi cositas que necesito," she tells us. "Pero ya con el San Valentin o el día de las madres, ya puedo ahorrar un poquitito para algo que necesita es la única manera."
I don't have a lot of money. I don't make a lot of money, but yes I can pay my bills, pay my car and pay for my necessities. Now with Valentine's or Mother's Day I can save a bit for whatever I might need.
— Lilia Lopez, street vendor
There are street vendors right next to her selling similar items, but she's more of a mainstay here. As we hung out with her, at least one person knew her by her name and she asked about his baby girl. "Ahí te cuidas, mijo," she says as they waved goodbye.
To hear more about a very busy day in the life of an L.A. flower vendor, listen to the How to LA podcast below:
Listen
• 7:25
On Valentines Day In LA, Love Has A Price
A customer on Venice Blvd with her bouquets.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Support for LAist comes from
Customers at Jose Juarez and Sandra Rivera's flower stand on Venice Blvd.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Sandra Rivera, Jose Juarez, and their daughter Tanya set up a stand on Venice Blvd. in Mid-City where they've vended for nearly 25 years. Neighbors who know them stop by to say hello and buy flower arrangements.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Additional reporting by producer Evan Jacoby.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
Best of LAist