Flower mart vendors in downtown LA hoping ICE fears doesn't hurt business

ICE raids impacting LA flower market

Vendors at the Original Los Angeles Flower Mart say fewer customers are coming in ahead of Valentine’s Day, partly due to social media posts about ICE detentions of street flower sellers.

LOS ANGELES - Valentine's Day is just around the corner, but the usually busy flower mart in downtown Los Angeles doesn't seem to be as packed as one would expect. Some vendors say that social media posts of street flower sellers being picked up by ICE agents are keeping some customers away, especially those who buy to sell on street corners.

"Every customer counts, these days," says one of the vendors at the Original Los Angeles Flower Mart on Wall and 8th Street, which is now open to the public, not just wholesale.

Inside the large mall, dozens of vendors offer flowers at much lower rates than supermarkets. Customers say they feel safer in that enclosed space than outside.

"We have a great, happy vibe," says Fiona Rivera, with Wall Street Florals. "And you need that, with times being as difficult as they have."

She does explain that she's lost some of her older women who were afraid to come in, but is getting younger people who "are putting those bouquets together like there's no tomorrow!"

Many of the roses are imported from Ecuador, and vendors say tariffs have gone from 6 to 25%, which has hit them directly in the pocketbook, so every customer is a "Godsend.**"

"But we are keeping prices as low as possible," says Evelyn Valencia, as she shows us a huge bouquet of multicolored roses priced at $40. She does add she's expanding her business via Instagram @TheHydrangeaAndMore with floral arrangement classes and other offerings, as "the world is changing."

If you are headed to the downtown floral district, try to do it early in the day. Most of the vendors close by 3 or 4 p.m.