By Graduations are full of balloons, congratulation cards and most famously, floral leis.
The lei is bestowed upon a student to symbolize their immense accomplishment and the pride their family has for them. Graduates are photographed after ceremonies with leis stacked around their necks so high they can barely see.
As graduation season nears, local flower shops prepare for an influx of requests for bouquets and leis.
Leigh Anne Janelli, owner of Sweet Peas Florist in Long Beach, has been serving the community for the last 28 years.
Janelli said this time of year brings more business to her shop, most of which are families asking for leis.
“Most people call me for leis but they usually do so at the very last minute,” Janelli said. “I would definitely recommend calling about a week in advance to make sure we can have leis available.”
Like many flower shops, the leis at Sweet Peas are not made on site, so a timely notice is needed to ensure a shipment can be made for customers to get their orders on time.
“I’d definitely make sure to always call and order my leis ahead of time because I know so many graduations go on at once and I don’t want to scramble to find some,” Christina Connelly, a Sweet Peas customer, said.
“Leis are a big tradition in my family. We make some out of money or candy as well,” Connelly continued.
“It’s my favorite thing to see all the kids after the ceremony walk around with their necks full of things.”
Another Long Beach flower shop feeling the graduation boom is PINKquet, a floral boutique specializing in pink flowers.
PINKquet is a new flower shop in Long Beach that focuses on pink flower arrangements. They gained popularity on Tiktok for their unique pink theme. Photo credit: PINKquet
Since they opened in early April, the shop has received calls asking for leis, according to employee Stacey Madrid.
“We only carry double orchid leis but we have them in multiple colors,” Madrid said. “We only carry a certain amount at a time so most of our customers follow our instagram to see if we post they’re in stock and then call to reserve them.”
PINKquet has toppers to add into flower arrangements for a more personal touch. They carry toppers like stuffed animals and balloons. Photo credit: PINKquet
While leis might be a customer favorite, all floral arrangements are in high demand this time of year, ranging from large designs for graduation parties to smaller bouquets people buy to hand to graduates.
“We specialize in pink flowers but we have an extensive range of shades and colors and we even have toppers to add to bouquets to make them more personalized and fun,” Madrid said.
Local florists in Long Beach are booming with business as the graduation season approaches, so ordering ahead is crucial. Whether customers are looking for bouquets or leis, local shops have it covered.
