CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - At Hearts and Flowers, staff members are working flat out, making sure they’re on top of the demand for spring bouquets during the Easter weekend.
“We’re ahead of things right now. We just got a new order of flowers and we have them all cut. We also have all our flowers done for Friday,” says proprietor Alan Preston, handing a bouquet of pink tulips to George Maker to deliver.
On Friday, he’s not planning to fill orders, due to the holy day.
“If we can get away with not working on Friday, we will.”
But, the phone will be ringing and Preston will be at home taking orders for delivery on Saturday.
“The clock is ticking, and we are clicking,” says Preston, who will get a bit of a break on Sunday and Monday when the store is closed for the holiday.
It will reopen on Tuesday.
While there’s extra work for florists, restaurants, hotels and others in the service industry, many Island businesses and government offices will be closed due to the holiday weekend.
All P.E.I. Liquor Stores will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. They will re-open on Monday.
Walmart in Charlottetown and Summerside is closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
The Charlottetown Mall will close its doors on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
However, two businesses within the mall, Cineplex Cinemas Charlottetown and the Spa Total Fitness Centre, will remain open.
The Spa is open Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The mall returns to its regular hours on Monday.
At the County Fair Mall in Summerside all stores will be closed on Friday and Sunday with the exception of Lawtons.
Across the Island, banks will be closed on Friday and Sunday, but it will be business as usual on Saturday and Monday.
Sobeys and Atlantic Superstore stores are also closed on Friday and Sunday. They will re-open on Monday.
As for other businesses, Island shoppers should check with individual retailers to see if they are open or not.
