Local shops offer sweet options for Valentine's Day
FREMONT - For a variety of local stores in town, the coming week is the busiest time of year.
When you walk into the Coco Beans Candy Cupcakes and More in Downtown Fremont you can smell the sweet smell of cupcakes. The aroma fills the store as the cupcakes are being prepared for Valentine’s Day.
Something sweet for your sweetheart
“During the week of Valentine’s Day, we are so busy and It’s insanity around here baking, cupcakes, small cakes, making chocolate strawberries, chocolates, and candy,” Donna McNemar, owner of Coco Beans Candy, said.
The newest items are heart-shaped boxes that are made from chocolate. There are two of them, one is a heart-shaped box made from chocolate filled with chocolate-covered pretzels and chocolate Oreos.
The second heart box is a solid heart shell that you break open and is full of your pick of chocolates which could include turtles, truffles, clusters, melt-a-ways, pretzels and sugar-free options.
The heart-shaped box is already premade so you can come into the shop to pick one up along with other goodies they may have.
McNemar said, “It’s really crazy, we always advise preorders, but you can come in and get what we have premade.”
In addition to its popular chocolates, Coco Beans also has cupcakes that come in flavors such as birthday cake, chocolate lava, strawberry shortcake, peanut butter cup, chocolate chip cookie dough, wedding cake, chocolate salted caramel, and double chocolate Oreo.
The local candy shop has been in business for over 15 years and sells ice cream, old fashioned candy, chocolate-covered coffee beans and hot chocolate.
Balloon Bouquets are an option
Right next door to Coco Beans is The Party Starts Here, which is a shop that also has had a busy week with its orders of balloon bouquets. They have made several different arrangements for Valentine’s Day that include big heart balloons, Happy Valentine’s Day balloons, lip balloons, hearts and latex balloons. The most popular bouquet is one jumbo balloon, one regular mylar, and five latex balloons.
The Party Starts Here shop recently moved locations to Downtown Fremont, and they expect the next week to be busy also.
Downtown Fremont keeping busy
Down Thyme Café, the local coffee shop, is also busy through the month of February. They make several different drinks based on Valentine’s Day movies, songs, and bands.
You can enjoy a “Romeo & Juliet,” which is butter pecan, mocha, and caramel coffee. The “Call Me Maybe” is a chai with vanilla, honey, and cinnamon drink. These specialty drinks can be enjoyed throughout the month.
Not just flowers, but plants available for your valentine
Valentine’s Day,s one of the busiest days for florists, is followed by Mother’s Day. At Prairie Flowers, 121 S. 5th St., they receive varied preorders for For Valentine’s Day that include house plants, mixed flower arrangements, and red roses.
“Our problem is we never get so far enough ahead (on orders) that they can come in and pick up a bouquet of flowers,” said Bob Michael, owner of Prairie Flowers.
The store receives so many orders that there are too many to count, he said.
“I don’t even have an idea of how many orders we get each year."
The store just received a shipment of vases and flowers to stock up for the big day.
On a recent visit, Prairie Flower already has its first pre-orders in its cooler waiting to be picked up. The fresh bouquets awaiting the customers included a dozen red roses, pink roses, carnations, a colorful arrangement of daisies, a flower arrangement in a silver vase, an arrangement of white orchards, plus different houseplants.
“They can order and come in and pick up their orders,” Michael said. “We get so many orders we can barely get done in time for Valentine’s Day.” He recommends customers come into the store and pre-order before the Feb. 14 holiday.
Prairie Flowers has been in business for 17 years and makes arrangements for funerals, veterans, and special events.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Sweet options for Valentine's Day available from local shops
