Amorous men are pushing sales higher around Valentine’s Day, as they make up the overwhelming majority of shoppers at chocolate, jewelry, lingerie and flower shops, according to owners and managers of specialty shops in Bend.

At Victoria’s Secret in the Old Mill District, Valentine’s Day is the peak holiday for sales in the spring, according to Anni Wyatt, the store manager. Sales increased 10 percent to 15 percent just this week, Wyatt said.

”When women come into the store, they know exactly what they want, they get it and leave,” said Traci Springer, sales associate at Victoria’s Secret. ”When men come in, they don’t know what they’re looking for so you can easily keep adding on to the sale and they buy more.”

Mike Olarrea, for example, was in the lingerie store shopping for his wife Thursday afternoon. ”I never have anything in particular in mind,” he said. ”It’s easier. I walk in with her (measurements) and get recommendations.”

Olarrea is the exceptional customer, said Shannon Greiner, who was helping him with his purchase of a red, silk baby-doll (nightgown with lace across the bust).

The majority of the male customers don’t have any idea what their partner’s measurements are, Greiner said. But that doesn’t stop the men from coming into the store or buying. ”We ask them to compare their partner’s sizes to the mannequins in the store,” Springer said.

Normally, male shoppers make up about 5 percent of the customer base at Victoria’s Secret, Wyatt said. But during this holiday, they make up about 50 percent of the buyers.

The gift of lingerie is a no-brainer for men shopping before Valentine’s Day. Chocolate is another.

At Chocolate et Gateaux, sales have spiked 300 percent in the past five days, according to Armand Speidel, owner of the shop on Minnesota Avenue. Customers select bite-sized chocolate pieces to fit in red velvet, heart-shaped boxes.

”We’ve had customers of all ages buying chocolate as gifts for Valentine’s Day,” Speidel said. ”My favorite is to wait on teenage kids that are in the store for the first time, buying their first romantic gift.”

John Paul, at John Paul Designs, a shop that specializes in custom and original designed jewelry on Oregon Avenue, has seen more than double the foot-traffic than is normal in the last two weeks.

Not all of that traffic, though, is holiday zeal, Paul said. Many shoppers are word-of-mouth, responding to his wedding ring designs, he added.

”People find me after hearing about me through friends,” said Paul, who’s been making jewelry for the past 10 years.

At Wild Flowers of Oregon in St. Clair Place, the days surrounding Valentine’s Day are the busiest time of the year, according to Ginny McCutcheon, manager of the shop. Men normally make up 20 percent of the customer base in the year but approaching Valentine’s Day, they make up 75 percent to 80 percent.

”Our sales volume increases tremendously,” McCutcheon said. ”What we do roughly in one day is the equivalent to a month of sales.”

Monica Lee can be reached at 541-383-0363 or mlee@bendbulletin.com.