By By Adrienne McKenzie
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and the local shops are preparing for the big occasion. Roses, candies, jewelry and cards. All of these are excellent ideas for gifts for Valentine's Day. Citizens of Atmore do not have to travel anywhere to purchase their loved ones something for this holiday because everything can be found locally.
With shops such as Country Charms, Jus Because, Unique Gifts &Things, Earle's Jewelers and Shannon's Florist, everything that a man or woman could need for the big day is right around the corner.
At Shannon's Florist on Main Street, candy, balloons and roses can be found. Shannon Cooper, the owner of Shannon's Florist, said the most sold product from her business for Valentine's Day are roses. Shannon's Florist has roses in all colors.
"We will sell roses, dozens of roses," Cooper said. "People need to order early and we will fix them up!"
Country Charms on Ridgeley Street has a variety of gift suggestions such as jewelry, Valentine bears and "fragrance lampes" for women. They also have wallets, money clips and knives for men. They even have Alabama and Auburn paraphernalia for sports fans.
Rachel Brown, the owner of Country Charms, said that typically jewelry is the most sold product for special occasions such as Valentines Day.
"Jewelry will be the number one product sold," Brown said. "But we can also personalize the jewelry by engraving it."
Unique Gifts &Things on Highway 31 is pushing gifts in a balloon, which is a stuffed bear inside a blown up balloon, and gift baskets for the holiday. At this location one could also purchase a Valentines Day purse, Avon and Beauty Control cosmetics along with electric tart burners and wax melts.
The tart burners, electric wax burners with a dimmer switch, are really popular this year, Wendy Johnson, employee at Unique Gifts &Things said.
"A lot of candy has sold, too," Johnson said. "We also have cologne, shaving cream and facial moisturizers for men that smell really good."
Johnson emphasized the fact that there is no particular product that is on sale at Unique Gifts &Things but that their prices are cheaper than other Atmore locations.
"Nothing is on sale," Johnson said. "But our prices are lower than everywhere else."
Tracy Miller, owner of Jus Because, also located on Highway 31, said that her store has Valentine's Day packages that include massages, manicures and pedicures. There are four packages to choose from that range from $45 to $135.
"The massage gift certificates are the best seller probably," Miller said. "Men need to get their honeys pampered a little bit for Valentines Day."
At Earle's Jewelers on Main Street there is an assortment of jewelry to choose from. Wayne Dunn, from the jewelry store, said that Journey is the most popular brand at this time. He also said that they have a few things for men at the store.
"The Journey collection is the hottest stuff right now," Dunn said. "For men we have gold chains, rings and some bracelets."
Also if a customer spends more than $99 at Earle's Jewelers, a free gift is available.
Any of these shops have great ideas for loved ones for this particular occasion. Sharing these gifts at a local restaurant, such as David's, Jalisco's or Buster's could be the perfect Valentine's Day without leaving the Atmore area!