Lincoln businesses get some much-needed love on Valentine’s Day

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The National Retail Federation estimates that on average, Americans are spending around $100 this Valentine’s Day, which is about the same amount as last year.

But with prices up, some Nebraskans said they are not spending as much.

“This year, I did spend hardly anything,” Ryan Urkoski said. “Just some sticky notes, and I know my wife did appreciate it.”

Prices are not only impacting consumers, but also business owners, who are paying more for their products.

The U.S. Labor Department reported that inflation eased in January, though not as much as expected.

But amid the inflation, Valentine’s Day is a huge boost for local businesses.

“Ingredients are very expensive right now,” said Katie Dunn, co-owner of The Butterfly Bakery. “We want to make quality products, we want to make everything beautiful, we want to still serve our community. Days like today continue, like, help us continue to do so.”

The holiday is also huge for chocolate shops, which have taken a hit from soaring cocoa prices.

“Costs have gone up all last year,” said Erika Jensen, the owner of The Chocolate Season. “My chocolate went up three times in one year, and that’s just wild.”

But Jensen said holidays keep them going.

“Yesterday was probably 2½ times of a normal sale day,” she said.

And on the holiday itself, the store typically has three to four times normal sales.