LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — For Michelle Joy Howard, owner of Flora Couture, Mother’s Day is typically about celebration and sales. But this year, it’s also about survival. With gas prices soaring, what should be her biggest week is now a logistical nightmare, forcing her to make tough decisions just to keep her business running.
“Hundreds of deliveries. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are our busiest days,” Howard said.
From luxury arrangements to custom bouquets, order after order is packed and loaded, racing against the clock.
“Mother’s Day weekend is the busiest actual holiday of the year,” Howard said.
For Flora Couture, Mother’s Day means hundreds of deliveries across the valley. But this year, that demand comes with a cost. Rising fuel prices are turning their busiest week into one of their most challenging.
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Rising costs hit every step
“Our price increases have gone anywhere from 20 to almost 40% increases. And we can only pass so much of that along to the consumer,” Howard said.
In March, gas prices were hovering around $4.36 a gallon. They have since skyrocketed to more than $5.
According to AAA, gas in southern Nevada now averages $5.28 a gallon. That spike is hitting every step of the process.
“We actually have them fuel at the end of their day, so they start their day with a full tank. But they are fueling more often across the board,” Howard said.
The cost doesn’t stop there. Fuel surcharges are stacking up from farms to distributors and again to the shop, driving prices higher before flowers even arrive.
To keep up, Howard is consolidating deliveries, cutting flexibility, and, for the first time in 30 years, weighing whether to turn away last-minute, long-distance orders.
With 30 years in the industry, Howard said this moment feels a lot like the last recession, when flowers were one of the first things people cut back on.
“What went first? Dining, jewelry, and flowers,” Howard said.
“So, you pivot. You address your clients differently. You market to them differently. You give different offerings,” Howard said.
For now, she’s absorbing the cost and holding the line on prices. But how long that lasts is unclear.
“As we get into the summer months and kind of determine, okay, do we need to change our delivery range? What does that look like? And we don’t want to do that because we have clients across this entire valley,” Howard said.
That uncertainty is what many in the floral industry are now facing — rising costs during their busiest season with no clear relief in sight.
Flora Couture is taking orders up until Mother’s Day. Customers can call ahead to confirm delivery availability. To view the Mother’s Day collection and place an order, visit Flora Couture’s website.
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