KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fiddly Fig Flowers and Boutique is blooming with business as it approaches the busy Mother's Day weekend, despite ongoing tariff concerns affecting flower prices.
Owner Sheryl White is preparing for a surge in orders and has decided to postpone considering price raises until they get through the holiday.
"It's my 40th year, so we're not new at this," White said, reflecting on her four decades in the floral industry.
She also shared her enduring passion for the business.
“It's just a business you have to love. I love the creativity; I love that I'm not doing the same thing every day,” White said.
Over the years, White has witnessed significant changes within the industry, particularly due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent tariffs.
“It hit right away," White said. "A lot of the growers weren't quite confident what to do either, so the prices didn't come along to us until just about now,” she explained.
Approximately 80% of the flowers sold at Fiddly Fig are imported from other countries, particularly South America, and costs have risen as a result. White noted that container prices have increased by 135% this year.
“We went out and bought a bunch that were made in the United States, and we will deal with that next week as well,” she said.
While the financial strain from increased costs is evident, her customers have not yet felt the impact of price hikes.
“Some of the growers don't know what to do, we don't know what to do," said White. "So, we're trying to wait until after Mother's Day because we've been so busy,” White said.
She emphasized the importance of staying competitive, acknowledging the challenge of pricing effectively.
“We don’t want to price ourselves out of the market, but we also can’t do things at a loss,” she said.
As Fiddly Fig navigates these challenges, the team remains committed to providing quality floral arrangements, ensuring that Mother's Day and other major events remain a special occasion for their customers.
—
KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
