Valentine’s surprise: Florist delivers despite snow squall 

Morrice Florist hit the snowy pavement to make their shipments for the holidays.

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Emily Coulter, owner of Morrice Florist in Tisbury, on a busy Valentine's Day. —Sam Houghton

Call it a Valentine’s Day miracle, or the Cupid that could.

Either way, on Tuesday, with the snow coming down and the wind howling, a delivery man for Morrice Florist in Vineyard Haven was making the rounds for the hopeful sweethearts on the Vineyard ahead of Wednesday’s holiday.

“We never thought he would make it. But there he came, trudging up our driveway with a dozen roses under his arm,” recalls Don Wertlieb, who was pleasantly surprised on Tuesday when a gift for his wife was delivered to their home in Chilmark, despite the elements. 

As Wertlieb tells it, their home on Harvest Hill sits at the top of a tall driveway. They figured that Morrice would abandon plans for flower deliveries, with the snow piling up. But Wertlieb said the delivery man parked his car at the bottom of the driveway, and hiked up on foot to their door. 

Wertlieb told his wife, Lorre Polinger, to answer the door to get her Valentine’s Day surprise: a dozen roses. “It was like Cupid had arrived,” Polinger said. “I was amazed and delighted, and gave him a high-five.”

The delivery man was Ben Coulter, his wife Emily Coulter confirmed on Wednesday. “It was crazy,” she said of her husband’s efforts to make deliveries. Ben Coulter was out again Wednesday making deliveries.

Coulter said that they’ve owned Morrice Florist for the past decade, and Valentine’s Day is always their big day. They start preparing a month in advance.

On Wednesday, with customers piling into their State Road store during the Valentine’s Day rush, Coulter said the storm was somewhat “crushing,” in that they didn’t get as many deliveries out as hoped, but she was hopeful that a busy Valentine’s Day would make up for it.

Coulter said that despite the snow, they were able to make 20 deliveries across the Island on Tuesday. She said the snow also impacted deliveries of flowers to the Island. She had staff up early Wednesday morning to get a delivery from the Patriot boat.

But told about Wertlieb and Polinger’s appreciation for a dozen roses getting delivered, Coulter was grateful.

Back in Chilmark, Wertlieb said Ben Coulter’s efforts reminded him of the old U.S. Post Office adage that they’ll get the mail delivered, rain, shine, or snow, whatever the conditions. “It was just the spirit of Valentine’s Day,” Wertlieb said. 

 

4 COMMENTS

    • Agree 100%! And it was a delight to shop there in person. Wonderful place. “The world laughs in flowers”.

  1. My father would be very proud that you have continued the fine tradition of ” Morrice, Florist “.

    Charles F. Morrice

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