Downey Rose Parade flowers lead to a trail of aloha

DOWNEY — Two days after the Rose Parade I went to see our awesome prize-winning Rose Parade float. It had been towed back home to Downey and was on display on a sunny Friday noontime in the parking lot at the Embassy Suites. 

As always the Downey Rose Float Association was selling pins, t-shirts and flowers fresh from the float as souvenirs. I bought an orange rose, and a saffron one, for my two hair-styling geniuses, Marina and Yolanda at Young Again, and then I thought I would take an orchid spray to some people I’d interviewed, who have been in business in Downey since forever.  Little did I expect the flowers would become a trail of Aloha.

As I drove past Exotic Hawaiian Apparel, their windows in Firestone Boulevard were empty and when I turned into the back lot, the door was locked.  Peering inside I could see the store was completely empty. No ruffled Island floral frocks, no colorful outfits for little keikis, no authentic vintage outrigger canoe hanging for the ceiling.

When I had talked with owner Martin Orloff for this paper (June, 2019), he and his wife had said there was a new owner for the building. Their lease was up for renewal and they anticipated a possible move, if prices were too high.  The showrooms that day were filled – stuffed – with so many items that Martin’s parents, who founded the business in the 1960’s, had brought back from Hawaii. Where did all those good things go?

I drove into the back parking lot of Art’s Camera, the western bookend of the same row of shops, which covers a half-block on the south side of Firestone, between Paramount and Myrtle.

The door was open, customers were browsing, and as always owner Art Valencia was standing behind the counter. Art has been here since he opened in the 90’s, offering advice to gifted amateurs and helping seniors cope with new mechanisms.

 I gave him a spray of purple cymbidium. “Lovely,” said Art, “I’ll give them to my wife.” 

Art Valencia and orchids from Downey’s 2020 Rose Parade float. Photo by Lorine Parks

I said I noticed that the Hawaiian shop was closed.

“Yes, it’s too bad,” said Art. 

“But you’re staying,” I said. 

“No,” said Art, “I’m going too. Probably this month.”

Art had chosen my camera for me, a used model because the new ones were too expensive. That’s why I had brought him the flowers, as a thank-you.

“Where will you go?” I asked.

“Maybe I’ll retire,” said Art. “But I have a deal going that might work out. I know I’ll stay in Downey. I was born here.”