Valentine’s Day is approaching and Alejandro Velez is already preparing, searching for the perfect gift for his girlfriend.
The University of Florida student said he decided to buy chocolates this year because he knows his girlfriend loves truffles, even though she usually prefers flowers.
“I know she likes her truffles, so I got (her) this mini little package from this chocolatier place,” Velez said.
The couple has been together for two years and, although they celebrated differently last year, Velez said this Valentine’s Day will be more traditional, with flowers, chocolates and a teddy bear.
Celebrating also means spending more. Velez said he is investing more money this year than in previous Valentine’s Days.
“The teddy bear that I got her was pretty expensive. It was pretty big,” he said. “I was considering getting more chocolates here, but it was almost double the price.”
Rising prices are not only affecting shoppers. They are also impacting small local businesses that depend on this season to stay afloat.
Valentine’s Day represents one of the most important times of the year, said Cathleen Blagay, owner of Thornebrook Chocolates, a shop in northwest Gainesville.
“Valentine’s Day and the day before are the busiest days of the year,” Blagay said. “It is a time that we rely on being successful to keep our store up and running, so it’s a big deal for us.”
The store, known for its chocolate turtles and salted caramels, offers more than 200 different products and prepares special seasonal items, including its popular chocolate-covered strawberries.
Although it is usually one of the busiest seasons, Blagay said customer behavior has changed this year. Many customers are waiting until the last minute or choosing smaller options due to higher prices.
“ Maybe it's not the bigger box, it's a smaller box, but it's still that special item,” she said.
Production costs have also increased significantly for the chocolatier. Blagay said the cocoa they use, which is imported mainly from South America and West Africa, is much more expensive than a decade ago and is also affected by tariffs and import-related charges.
“Chocolate has gone up considerably, it’s about five times more than maybe 10 to 15 years ago,” she said.
In November, President Donald Trump adjusted certain tariffs by removing them on agricultural products like cocoa and coffee, saying many of these products are not grown or produced in sufficient quantities in the United States and must be imported from other countries.
Recent market data shows cocoa prices beginning to fall after months of historic highs. Prices in both New York and London dropped as global cocoa supplies increased and demand for chocolate slowed.
Sales are also lagging in Europe and Asia.
Thornebrook Chocolates has made only small price adjustments to avoid passing the full cost onto customers.
”We understand that we're all in it together. Everybody's being hit hard,” Blagay said.
For Blagay, supporting small local businesses during this season is essential for them to continue operating amid economic challenges.
According to the National Retail Federation, consumer spending on Valentine’s Day is expected to reach a new record of $29.1 billion, about $1.6 billion more than in 2025. The organization conducted a survey of 7,791 adult consumers about their Valentine’s Day shopping plans. It was conducted Jan. 2-8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.
Researchers also anticipate that people will spend more this year, with average spending projected to reach nearly $200 per person for the holiday – an increase of about $10 compared to 2025.
Other businesses in Gainesville also say they have been affected by higher costs this Valentine’s Day season.
The holiday remains the busiest time of the year for Crevasse’s Florist in Gainesville, owners Andreina Madrid and Marcela Viana said. The business is family owned with dozens of arrangements prepared for delivery in a single day.
Although the cost of flowers and supplies has increased, the sisters said they are working to keep prices stable for customers.
“We try to keep our prices so people don’t feel it, because it’s been hard times lately,” Madrid said.
The shop imports many of its flowers from countries such as Colombia and Ecuador. The owners say the emotional value of flowers continues to drive demand during the holiday.
“Flowers bring comfort, and every arrangement has a story,” Madrid said.
At Govind & Sons Fine Jewelry in Gainesville, designer Alexander Sacasa said Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest times of the year, with customers coming in throughout the week searching for special pieces.
“We’ve got a couple major seasons for the year, and Valentine’s Day is definitely one of them,” Sacasa said.
Despite rising gold prices, Sacasa said the store has seen a noticeable increase in orders compared with previous years. The price of gold futures has increased 73% in the past year.
”We are not really sure why that is,” Sacasa said. “We think might be because of gold prices and that people are really seeing jewelry as something of value, even like from an investment perspective”
Even with higher material costs, the store has focused on keeping items affordable for customers shopping for loved ones.
“We are trying to keep the prices down so that people have a lot of access to what they’re trying to get for their special someone,” Sacasa said.
Not everyone celebrating Valentine’s Day is focused on how much they spend. The meaning behind the holiday matters more than the price of a gift, said Jessica Povar, a visitor from London walking through the Thornebrook Village shopping mall.
“I don’t think price really matters when you know you have the one you love celebrating with you,” Povar said. “I think that’s all that really matters, to be honest, as long as you’re with each other.”
