CENTERVILLE — Those looking to get flowers for mom this Mother’s Day may be running into higher costs due to rising fuel prices.
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For more than 40 years, Steve Smith has operated The Flowerman in Centerville with his wife. While he said the pandemic and the 2008 market crash were bigger blows, he’s now seeing about a 10% markup due to higher fuel and shipping costs.
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“A lot of our stuff comes in from all over the world, so like Ecuador, Holland, Chile, you know, Costa Rica, and then it flies into Miami and then trucks up here,” Smith explained. “So, and then of course, we get as much local as we can, too, but those fuel surcharges, that’s what really creates a difference.”
Smith told News Center 7 that, for the most part, he has tried to keep costs the same for more items, asking a few dollars more for a dozen roses.
Shoppers Nick Foley spoke to on Friday said they didn’t notice much of a difference at all this time around and believe moms are always worth any upcharge.
“It’s worth it, they’re beautiful,” one shopper said. “They didn’t go up that much, and we were willing to buy them anyway.”
For the owners of The Flowerman, the goal was to minimize the cost increase and protect their customers. Smith also added that the year-round volume will help them absorb the hit.
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