By Angela ChangThe Daily Northwestern
Amid the gaudily wrapped gifts of Valentine’s Day flowers, candy and cards, a few more inventive Evanston businesses are putting a unique spin on signs of affection.
Ever consider buying a bagel for that special someone?
Several local restaurants are appealing to the love-starved through their stomachs.
Einstein Bros. Bagels, 1745 Sherman Ave., has been selling its heart-shaped bagels for the past two weeks. The bagels are plain-flavored but, with the help of food dye, have a fire-engine red hue.
“It kind of looked like a dog bone,” said Lilly Hubschman, a SESP sophomore.
Even if she was disturbed by the idea of eating a piece of the colorful bread, Hubschman said she’d still appreciate it as a sign of affection if someone gave her one.
Einstein also is touting its pink-frosted sugar cookies along with its Dark Chocolate Cherry Kiss drink, a frozen concoction of cherry syrup and Hershey’s chocolate.
The bakery at Jewel-Osco, 1128 Chicago Ave., has added to its own food selection. It is selling heart-shaped glazed doughnuts to celebrate the holiday.
In an effort to spread the love and pull in customers, Cereality Cereal Bar and Cafe, 1622 Sherman Ave., is giving away a free scoop of its Life Chocolate Oat Crunch cereal.
Argo Tea, 1596 Sherman Ave., has been advertising its ValenTea, a passion-fruit-flavored hibiscus tea mixed with cane sugar. Sales for the sweet drink and the cafe’s Valentine’s Day teapot gift sets have been good, said Missy Allen, a store supervisor.
Other businesses also are taking advantage of the holiday to market their line of romantic products.
WineStyles, 1741 Sherman Ave., organized a wine tasting for couples on Feb. 10. During the Sweethearts Night, lovers sipped various seasonal wines and sampled appetizers.
The store also is playing up some of its more alluring merchandise.
“We have a bunch of wines that are pretty suggestive,” said Marko Trbovic, the store manager.
Femme Fatale, Fourplay, Syrahtica and Risque are among some of the more provocative wine names. One label is named after amphibians engaged in intimate activities. Trbovic said that although he hasn’t looked at this month’s numbers yet, he expects to see a spike in sales.
At 1604 Sherman Ave., Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa went with a more traditional marketing campaign. With four gift packages, the spa is hoping Valentine’s Day customers will opt for pampering over boxes of chocolates. The most popular spa packages are Kiss & Tell, which includes a classic massage, warm cream manicure and warm cream pedicure for one person, and To Have & To Hold, a package for couples with his-and-hers massages, manicures, pedicures and spa lunches.
With constant reminders about Valentine’s Day popping up in store windows, some might wonder if this will all lead to a love overload.
But true romantics can never get enough, said Weinberg senior Lesley Arca. The creator of the Facebook.com group called Hopeless Romantics, Arca said she and other romantically inclined individuals gravitate toward love-themed items.
“It’s something about love, even if you’re not involved with somebody, you still kind of yearn for it,” Arca said. “Even if it seems commercial, it’s a sweet idea.”
Arca pointed out that romantic gifts, such as flowers, jewelry and chocolates, are available year-round, but on Feb. 14, there’s a little extra pressure to find the perfect – or flashy – gift.
Reach Angela Chang at [email protected].
