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Though necklaces of spent 9mm casings might better capture local flavor, Steve Latour, aka the Lei Man, believes Washingtonians will pay to partake in Hawaiian accoutrements. Living on the islands seeded Latour’s affinity for blooming baubles, but the discovery that D.C. flower shops charge about $80 for orchid necklaces prompted him to launch a lei building and delivery service out of his Mount Pleasant digs. Initial response has been so positive that Latour has decided to add hula girls and belly dancers to his delivery staff, which currently consists of just him. Hiring deliverers of another gender might mitigate awkwardness Latour has encountered with proper lei etiquette. “Two- thirds of my customers so far have been women ordering for guys,” he says, “and leis are traditionally given along with a kiss.” Another occupational hazard: bad jokes. He’s already decided to let lei puns lie. “In my first ads I used things like “get lei’d’ and “get a cheap lei,’ ” he says. “Now, I just say “the Lei Man.’ I think it’s better to let everybody make up their own jokes.”