Colourful displays of roses, bouquets and handmade crafts ahead of Valentine’s Day in Dimapur on February 13. (Morung Photos)
Kanili Kiho
Dimapur | February 13
The streets of Dimapur have transformed into a vibrant marketplace on the eve of Valentine’s Day, with pop-up stalls offering everything from fresh flowers to handmade crafts and personalised gifts adding a festive charm to the city.
While the number of stalls is slightly lower than previous years, the occasion continues to provide a significant platform for homegrown businesses and young entrepreneurs to connect directly with customers.
From intricately designed handicrafts to creatively wrapped floral bouquets, the pop-ups reflect the growing entrepreneurial spirit.
Among the sellers was ‘tale of yarns,’ a family-run crochet venture led by young entrepreneur Abeni Odyuo. Alongside her elder sister and mother, Abeni has been running the homegrown brand since 2023, offering crocheted flowers, dolls, fridge magnets, hair clips and decorative flower pots.
“Our niche is the clean finishing and unique designs. Quality matters,” she said. Though sales are a little lower compared to last year, she said that Valentine-themed items have been selling steadily.
Products at her stall range from Rs 50 to Rs 2,500, with items curated specifically for the occasion.
For Abeni, crocheting began as a passion that gradually turned into a business. Apart from crochet, she is also involved in baking and event management ventures. She described financial independence as rewarding, though challenging.
“Homegrown businesses are growing, yet the sad reality is there is still no proper market,” she noted.
The venture undertakes customised orders and operates on both wholesale and retail models, with deliveries shipped pan-India through its Instagram handle.
A few blocks away, two mothers selling crocheted roses and bouquets marked their first step into entrepreneurship. They shared that their children were supporting them by dropping them off at the stall and picking them up later in the evening. The sister duo remain hopeful for more sales on Valentine’s Day.
Another newcomer, ‘thee chub.bee store,’ offered bouquets, packaged gift sets and homegrown strawberries paired with roses. The young owner shared that the strawberries were sourced from their farm in Zubza. Products at the stall started from are 150, combining local produce with festive gifting.
Florists, however, are navigating rising procurement costs this season. A flower seller who has been setting up Valentine’s pop-ups for the past three years observed a decline in the number of stalls this time. She attributed this to the sharp increase in wholesale rose prices.
“Earlier we could buy roses at are Rs 580 are Rs 600. This time even the lowest price is around are Rs 700,” she said.
Sellers believe the ongoing flower festival in Dubai has affected supply availability, resulting in higher wholesale rates. Consequently, most vendors are retailing roses at around are 100 per piece.
A group of young mothers from a church in Eralibill also set up a fresh flower stall as part of a fundraising effort. They discussed arriving early the following morning to secure a selling spot, as spaces operate on a first-come, first-served basis. One woman remarked that some vendors arrive as early as 2–3:00 am to set up their stalls.
Customer trends appeared mixed. While some vendors reported more women and girls purchasing gifts, others said men made up the majority of their buyers.
Couples, friends, students, parents and colleagues scanned the streets hoping to find the right gifts, while vendors attended to customers with carefully arranged displays and handmade offerings. The pop-ups created a steady flow of visitors through the evening hours.
Alongside the seasonal rush, the Valentine’s Day stalls continue to create space for homegrown businesses to flourish. From first-time sellers to young entrepreneurs testing their ideas, the occasion offers visibility, income and experience within the local marketplace.
Even if for a few days, the pop-up culture adds colour to the town’s streets, supporting small ventures while marking a celebration observed in many forms.
