It’s like their Super Bowl: Quad Cities businesses prepare for Valentine’s Day

QUAD CITIES, Iowa/Ill. (KWQC) - Valentine’s Day might be just around the corner but here in the Quad Cities, local restaurants and businesses are already preparing and celebrating the big day.

And while there is snow forecast, the restaurants and businesses are not worried that it will ruin their plans.

“We will be busy regardless,” Bill Collins, owner of Me & Billy Kitchen and Bar, said.

At the restaurant, Valentine’s Day celebrations have already begun. With a floral arrangement class already under its belt- the restaurant is gearing up for a busy weekend.

“This is going to be a pop-up bar in here for Friday and Saturday,” Collins said.

At Tiphanie’s, owner Tiphanie Cannon said the romantic holiday is like their Super Bowl.

“Tonight we’ll pull almost an all-nighter, making sure all of the baked goods are ready,” Cannon said.

She said they have two reservation spots left and aren’t worried about the snow.

“We’ve had snowy Valentine’s Day before and that doesn’t really in the 10-plus years I’ve had this business, that doesn’t really seem to deter people,” Cannon said.

Rock Island’s Tom McGreevey has been married for 49 years and has been buying his wife chocolate at Lagomarcino’s for 45 years.

He said he keeps coming back because he loves seeing how happy his wife gets.

“I think it’s important to have traditions,” McGreevey said. “At this time of the year, it’s chocolates.”

Staff at Lagomarcino’s have been making candy and packing boxes, and they’ve already shipped more than 300 orders this week.

Manager Katie Lagomarcino Hylton, said they had already started dipping their chocolate-covered strawberries.

“We only do strawberries for Valentine’s Day, so we have a lot of people that are waiting for it,” Hylton said.

She said between both stores, they are averaging about 300 pre-orders for strawberries.

They’ve ordered about 3,600 strawberries, she said, and expects to go through all of them by Saturday.

Even with snow on the horizon, she said staff are prepared for customers.