EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
Small businesses that offer delivery services like restaurants, dry cleaners and florists have to fill up their cars or trucks everyday. Local owners say it's a delicate balance between being able to provide the same services, without raising prices.
"There's something about pulling those flowers out and starting to work with them, I can have a headache, I can be in a bad mood and I call it aromatherapy," Barbara Santora said.
Santora is an artist that truly loves designing floral arrangements. Her shop, Barbara's Bloomers delivers between 35 and 75 arrangements everyday.
"During busy season and holidays were looking at sometimes 200," she said.
Filling up two vehicles when gas hits near record highs, puts a strain on profits and cuts have to be made somewhere.
"You bite the bullet and you compensate by maybe doing other things like lower the temperature of the thermostat in the shop," Santora said.
Barbara says she also orders product in bulk to cut down on shipping costs, which are also climbing alongside gas prices.
"When we get crunched like that, we don't have the leverage that a larger corporation has to absorb it because our profit margin is a lot less," she said.
At the end of the day, high gas prices aren't going to keep Barbara from sharing her talent with others.
"Times are hard, but don't be afraid to call and ask because there are exceptions to all rules, and even though I have a minimum amount for delivery, but if I know somebody is really pressed and really wants to send some flowers, I'm not going to say no to them," Santora said.
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