Valentine Saturday expected to bring lines, Valley chocolatiers say

YOUNGSTOWN

If you’ve held off on your Valentine’s Day shopping for that special someone to the last minute, there’s still time to buy some chocolates.

Local chocolatiers and candy stores are ready for the oncoming traffic in business today and Saturday.

“Everybody is running around for their chocolates,” Linda DeProfio, general manager of Sharon, Pa.-based Daffins Chocolate Candies’ Girard location, 39 W. Liberty St. “There will be lines.”

Business is expected to increase with Valentine’s Day on a Saturday this year, said John Giannios, president of Struthers-based Giannios Candy, 430 Youngstown-Poland Road.

Valentine’s Day also is the “kickoff” for the busiest season, Easter, he added.

The day before and the day of Valentine’s Day are its busiest each year, Giannios said.

“It’s a good holiday, but it's very unpredictable,” he said.

Cold weather usually deters people from going out to shop for Valentine’s gifts.

“Weather’s always been a factor,” said Jeff Thacker, retail sales manager of Gorant Chocolatier, 8301 Market St., in Boardman, .

Unlike cold weather, one hot item local retailers are selling this holiday are chocolate covered strawberries.

Read more holiday ideas, and store hours in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.