The second Sunday of every May is a day mothers across the globe typically find themselves lavished with mimosas and flowers at brunch.
However, this year, celebratory gatherings surrounded by familiar faces have been postponed as many Gainesville venues remain closed amid the coronavirus pandemic. And yet, a few notable local businesses have become more essential than ever to the community this Mother’s Day.
Floral Expressions Florist, located at 4414 NW 23rd Ave., has been a Gainesville staple since 1985. The manager, Elizabeth Cavallo, has been working there for about 30 years. Its longtime stance in the community has prepared it to serve its customers from a distance, engaging in curbside pickup services and no-contact deliveries with flexibility.
Cavallo, 53, said she has come to recognize the importance of her team’s consistency throughout the past couple of months.
“We’ve had so many people say that, ‘Oh my gosh I’m so happy you’re open,’” Cavallo said. “It means a lot knowing that people appreciate what we’re doing.”
Though the shop was open today, it will be closed this Sunday so the team can celebrate the holiday with their loved ones, Floral Expressions Florist will resume its same-day delivery policy on Monday for any belated Mother’s Day gifts. While its normal hours of operation on weekdays are between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., same-day delivery orders must be placed before 3 p.m. Popular demand has lied among dozens of red roses, hydrangeas and lilies of white, purple and pink hues — but this year, bold shades of greens, oranges and yellows have been more popular than usual, with people looking to brighten up each other’s lives, Cavallo said.
“We’re an emotion-based business,” Cavallo said. “People have more feelings going on right now than they’ve ever had before.”
Even though business has been slow, Cavallo said she has been pleasantly surprised to discover business is on an upward trend for the holiday.
“Thus far, we are pretty close to what we were last year, which we’re super happy about,” Cavallo said.
However, not all businesses that are essential to the community this Mother’s Day have benefitted from a well-established foundation in Gainesville. Katherine Osman, the owner of Pinspiration Gainesville, moved what was supposed to be the grand opening of her business back in March, online. Since then, she’s come to discover just how much creativity she’s been inspiring in a community that has never even stepped foot in her store.
Pinspiration Gainesville, located at 1132 NW 76th Blvd., is one of nine active DIY craft studios across the country founded by Brooke Roe. She developed the concept for these studios by working hand-in-hand with Pinterest and removing the most difficult aspects of the trendiest crafts of the year by creating a free studio space for people to be instructed on how to build them.
Because most families will be spending Mother’s Day at home, Pinspiration Gainesville is offering a multitude of Take-Home Craft Kits for curbside pickup — including a special Mother’s Day DIY gift bag, “paint along” canvases, fairy houses, faux aquariums and wooden “celebrate” calendars. The kits will be offered at a 20 percent discount since customers will be missing out on the studio experience, Osman said.
“Part of Pinspiration is the experience and gathering,” Osman said. “So when you’re just doing the crafts you’re missing a part of it, but it’s still really fun to just do the crafts.”
Every kit has a similar level of complexity and includes all the tools and instructions customers will need to construct their crafts from home, making them activities and gifts for members of the Gainesville community to create while following social-distancing measures. Orders can be placed anytime and can be obtained through no-contact pickup Tuesday through Sunday from 12:30 to 6 p.m.
“There’s no fear,” Osman said. “If you have the will, we’ll give you the way.”
Because most families will be spending Mother’s Day at home, Pinspiration Gainesville is offering a multitude of Take-Home Craft Kits for curbside pickup — including a special Mother’s Day DIY gift bag, “paint along” canvases, fairy houses, faux aquariums and wooden “celebrate” calendars.
