KAPA‘A — Fely Sams wants Mother’s Day at least three times a year. Fely, Didi Gorospe and Brad Zacek were besieged with orders Monday for flowering live orchid plants to be shipped to the Mainland for arrival in time for
KAPA‘A — Fely Sams wants Mother’s Day at least three times a year.
Fely, Didi Gorospe and Brad Zacek were besieged with orders Monday for flowering live orchid plants to be shipped to the Mainland for arrival in time for Mother’s Day this Sunday.
“We’ve been really busy, answering phones and packing so everything will be ready when the United Parcel Service carrier comes,” Sams said. “We’ll ship through Wednesday before we shift gears and go to ‘local’ mode.”
Sams said people wanting to have live flowering orchid plants arrive on the Mainland in time for Mother’s Day should have their orders in by today for Wednesday shipping, the last day that orders can be shipped out for arrival in time for Sunday.
The trio at Orchid Alley worked through the dark as electricity went out Monday in Kapa‘a.
“We’re packing in the dark,” said Gorospe. “There’re too many orders that need to go out.”
Zacek, fielding customers’ questions, quipped, “Who shot the hamster? We have to keep the animated birds going because there’s no radio.”
Sams said the 40-plus orders Monday represented almost the entire shipments for Mother’s Day last year, the single biggest delivery date for her.
“Orders are way better this year,” she said. “There is a glimmer of hope (for economic recovery) because the phones are still ringing. Right now, I wish we had Mother’s Day three times a year.”
Sams said there aren’t that many places on Kaua‘i where people can ship live flowering orchids. Zacek, formerly of New York, said there is no substitute.
“The orchid is a very popular plant and an important sector of the agricultural industry statewide,” said George Costa, the director of the county’s Office of Economic Development. “Like most sectors, the orchid industry is holding its own.”
Shipping rates have pretty much stayed the same as last year, save the adjustments in fuel rates, Sams said. She uses UPS for Mother’s Day because the delivery schedule has the carrier coming in the afternoon which allows the staff more time to pack.
Zacek said one of the things helping Sams this year is the establishment of a Web site as well as Facebook.
“The carrier pigeons are gone. We’re now in the 21st Century,” Zacek said. “When you visit the Web site, there are pictures and specials and a way you can order online.”
This differs from the Facebook page which Zacek said will be three weeks old, Friday.
“On the Facebook page, I update daily with photos, reminders of holidays, and fans can tell us about their experiences, ask questions about orchid care, and other good stuff,” he said. “I try to keep everything upbeat and lively. But in three weeks, we’ve already got 150 fans with more coming on. People have been very responsive and that’s really good.”
Sams said from Wednesday, Orchid Alley will be preparing for local orders with delivery service being a new feature this year.
“We have Brad to help with deliveries so we can deliver, now,” said Sams. “On top of that, Neill will be at the orchid show at the Kukui Grove Center which will open from 1 p.m., Friday, and run through Saturday afternoon.”
Costa said he is hopeful that local events like the recent Hanapepe Art and Orchid Festival, the Friday’s Kaua‘i Orchid Society’s Mother’s Day Plant Show and Sale, and the upcoming Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair will continue to draw attention to this beautiful flowering species and, perhaps, give this industry a boost on Kaua‘i.
“There are certainly a lot of orchid fanciers on this island,” Costa said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
