Local flower shop owners prepare for Mother’s Day while dealing with supply shortages
People are out and about doing their last minute Mother's Day shopping, many of them stopping by local flower shops to pick up a gift for mom.
We were able to speak with owners about the rush, along with the impacts of rising gas prices and supply strains.
Sharon Gonzalez, the owner of Coachella Valley Floral Distributors has been preparing for months.
"We actually start preparing as soon as Valentine's Day is over," says Gonzalez.
Gonzalez tells me shipping delays are one of the reasons she started getting ready early this Mother's Day.
"We’ve had a problem getting our roses from Columbia. We’ve also had problems with other supplies, but gas prices have definitely hit us on that end too as far as our drivers and our other supplies coming in as well," Gonzalez adds.
Lotus Garden owner, John Southorn, says he's run into the same problem, "Flowers have been difficult to get this year."
Southorn uses a truck along with two vans to complete deliveries, and says gas prices have impacted his business.
"Our delivery charge has gone up a little because of gas," says Southorn.
But he's found solutions, like using a third party to serve his customers, "They call an Uber, we have flowers ready, Uber comes in, picks them up and delivers them to mom."
While both businesses have made accommodations to deal with rising gas prices and supply shortages, they say their customers continue to show support.
"Mothers are so important to families, that people are willing to go above and beyond to get them what they like, and to show that they love them," says Gonzalez.
