Des Moines businesses prepare for Mother's Day
DES MOINES, Iowa — There's a good chance if you're celebrating Mother's Day this weekend, flowers may be involved.
'I think flowers, I think it just says it all. It's one of the most beautiful creations there is, is flowers. And they save it for a day like this,' Tom Boesen of Boesen the Florist shop said.
They've been preparing thousands of custom pre-orders and pre-made arrangements ready for last minute pickup.
'Today we did over 600 deliveries. We did 300 yesterday. The planning starts way back,' Boesen said.
Americans are expected to spend $3.2 billion on flowers this Mother's Day. Arrangements at Boesen's are $50 and up. But have they noticed customers buying fewer or less expensive arrangements, given the economy?
Ankeny mother-daughter teaching duo seeks to set new standard of inclusion
'I think the answer is absolutely. And that's not just because of the cost. That's because, you know, by the time they go to the gas station and whatnot, everything went up, but they still send flowers,' he said. 'Right now as far as the flowers, all of them are grown right here in the United States from seeds. A lot of our bouquets, the flowers come from Ecuador and Colombia. We're seeing a slight increase at that point, but quite honestly right now, we haven't passed it on to the customer. There's enough volume, we just want people to continue to say it with flowers.'
In a National Retail Federation survey, Americans are expected to spend on average $259 this Mother's Day. That's up $5 from last year. So that could include something like flowers and/or brunch.
'We definitely have some big crowds on Mother's Day. It's all hands on deck,' Shauna McKnight from Big Grove Brewery & Taproom said. 'We'll have a special brunch menu as well. We'll have a really yummy chorizo breakfast sandwich, some eggs benedicts, free flowers for moms as well. We're making sangria that I'm really excited about. It's going to be a really yummy strawberry sangria and we'll have mimosas and all the other yummy brunch things as well.'
If you don't have a brunch reservation at a restaurant for Sunday yet, Big Grove says you can call them about 30 minutes before you arrive to get on the waitlist.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
11 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Is this why Americans have hit the brakes on the #vanlife dream?
Is this why Americans have hit the brakes on the #vanlife dream? After a boom during the pandemic, Americans are no longer embracing vanlife with as much enthusiasm as they did during lockdown. Plenty of pandemic-era habits have stuck around - Zoom calls, grocery delivery, comfy pants - but living out of a van freely on the open road, it seems, has not had the same staying power. Vanlife represents the outdoorsy lifestyle centered around mobile shelters like camping trailers, recreational vehicles, and retrofitted vans. Starting in 2020, as cities emptied and remote work became the norm, thousands of people took to this relatively cheap and crowd-free way to explore the country. As they traveled, they fueled the trend by sharing their most idyllic experiences on social media with the hashtag #vanlife. However, new research conducted by Motointegrator and the data experts at DataPulse Research suggests that many people who signed on to vanlife at the height of the pandemic are now putting it in their rearview mirror. Sales of RVs - a good proxy for all kinds of camping vehicles, including custom retrofitted vans - have not only cooled off but have fallen below pre-pandemic levels, based on an analysis of sales data. What is more, the number of households that camp in RVs has also dropped back to levels not seen since the 2018–2019 period, following a rapid spike during the height of the pandemic, according to a similar analysis of RV camping activity. It turns out, when you sell a record number of campers in a few short years, there's not a lot of fresh demand left after the rush, which is the key reason why RV sales today are lower than they were even a decade ago. "The pandemic was such a massive disruption [to RV sales] that the previously observed trends were no longer applicable," a November 2024 report by the news site notes. "Indeed, had RV sales continued on the path that was established pre-COVID-19, it is estimated that there would have been continued consistent growth year-over-year." The #vanlife dream This is not to say vanlife is completely gone. Its popularity just seems to be returning to pre-pandemic norms. The #vanlife hashtag dates back to the early 2010s when a New Yorker named Foster Huntington quit his corporate job to live on the road. Along his journey, he found many others living in vans, preserving a subculture that began with the hippies of the 1960s. Huntington used the hashtag when he posted photos of his new life on social media, and, soon enough, #vanlife began to trend among a rising generation of free-spirited people who followed in his footsteps. When the pandemic hit in 2020, people around the world, freshly untethered from their office jobs, saw an opportunity to embark on their own on-the-road adventures. Across the U.S., there was a surge in RV sales, from 400,000 shipments in 2019 to 600,000 in 2021, according to the RV Industry Association. Those figures do not account for retrofitted vans, which are beloved by the vanlife community. These vans, often former work vehicles or delivery vans, exploded in popularity thanks to their budget-friendly customization options and flexibility. Unlike larger trailers or bus-like mobile homes, they are easier to drive and park while still being more comfortable than tents. However, securing one became difficult; as CNN reported in 2021, companies that retrofit vans suddenly had yearslong waitlists - and that was assuming the customer had a van to retrofit given the competition. During lockdowns, online orders for household items surged and Amazon needed to expand their fleet of van models - namely, Mercedes Sprinters, Ford Transits and RAM ProMasters - which happen to be the preferred choices for vanlifers, as well. The end of the dream Nonetheless, many Americans did succeed in landing their own recreational vehicle. The race to get (or retrofit) RVs created an influx of newbie owners. As shown by the chart below, more than half (55%) of today's RV owners are newbies who have owned their vehicle for just five years or less. The vanlife movement appears to have deflated as quickly as it ballooned in pandemic-era America. For many, the vanlife lifestyle turned out to be a detour, not a destination. As a result, many vehicles bought during the pandemic are not racking up much mileage today. Some 10 million households, or close to 8% of all households in the U.S., camped in an RV last year - and around 8 million of those campers were RV owners. That might seem like a lot, but it is down from the 15 million (nearly 12% of households) that camped in an RV at the 2022 peak. The drop in vanlifers is also evident in yearly survey data that tracks campers by experience level. The share of inexperienced campers (those who were brand new to camping or who had started "in the last few years") peaked in the years after the pandemic's onset, according to Kampgrounds of America. In 2022, people who were relatively new to camping accounted for more than 40% of all campers. After that peak though, the numbers dropped off pretty quickly. The mad rush to join the vanlife community was over, new blood was not coming into the vanlife community as quickly, and there was attrition among the vanlifers who had given it a shot. By 2024 the share of relatively new campers had dropped to 16% - levels that were typical before the pandemic hit. There are many reasons why the dream did not live long. For one, vanlife is not the "Insta-glam" life it is cracked up to be. There are difficult realities of vanlife, as New York Times essayist Caity Weaver captured in her own pursuit of the idyllic lifestyle in 2022, noting that just the act of sleeping in a van was "cramped, slovenly and bad." Vanlife also became impractical as life got back to normal. As the major waves of COVID-19 petered out, managers became less tolerant of the work-from-anywhere approach, making it difficult for most to juggle both vanlife and their careers. Still, vanlife left its mark While vanlife may have been a flash-in-the-pan for many, the overall number of people who seek outdoorsy experiences, including RVing, tent camping, or glamping, may now start to stabilize to normal growth levels. Prior to the pandemic, it was estimated that the growth would be about 2 million additional households a year. As the camping community returns to normal, it is interesting to note that a few things have, in fact, changed for good. For one, there has been "a notable increase in younger and more diverse [RV] owners compared to previous years," a RV Industry Association report notes. "Younger generations are much more engaged than they used to be." Indeed, those who have stuck around are more committed to the lifestyle. Today, owners use their RVs a median of 30 days a year, up 50% from the 20 days reported in 2021. And campgrounds have tried to accommodate them, offering more amenities like WiFi, according to Kampgrounds of America. Perhaps vanlife is now how it was always intended to be: a smaller, scrappier community that genuinely wants the open road, the early mornings in nature, and yes, the occasional headache of a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. This story originally appeared on Motointegrator, was produced in collaboration with DataPulse Research, and was reviewed and distributed by Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
Business Insider
21 minutes ago
- Business Insider
Americans have pumped 401(k) holdings to record levels — and been rewarded for their patience
Despite stock market jitters, Americans stayed the course with their retirement savings, and their grit through a period of intense volatility has paid off. While retirement savers saw a drop in average 401(k), 403(b), and IRA balances due to market volatility, they continued to contribute to their retirement accounts at record rates. The average 401(k) savings rate hit a record 14.3% in the first quarter of 2025, according to Fidelity's latest retirement analysis of 17.3 million IRA accounts as of March 31, 2025. That number combines both employee and employer contributions and marks the highest collective savings rate ever tracked by the asset manager. The employee contribution rate was 9.5%, and the employer contribution rate was 4.8%. The 14.3% savings rate is the closest it's ever been to Fidelity's recommended savings rate of 15%. As markets gyrated amid trade war tensions earlier this year, it would be understandable to see many investors pause contributions or even pull money out of the market. Indeed, some retail investors did pull out and increase their allocations to cash. However, with tariff volatility now in the rear-view, staying invested has proven to be the best move. Since the end of March, the S&P 500 is up more than 6%, and the benchmark index is up 1.7% year-to-date. Those who stopped investing in response to market volatility would have missed out on the S&P 500's best May in 35 years. A chart from Fidelity shows outcomes for a starting balance of $100,000 invested in 70% stocks and the rest in bonds and cash between January 2022 and December 2024. Fidelity In this scenario, the worst-performing strategy was to move to cash in July 2022, after the market dropped 20%, and stop contributing. The best-performing strategy was to stay the course and maintain the same asset mix, with annual contributions of $10,000. Even if you moved to cash and continued to contribute, the end result would still be worse than if you had remained invested. Stocks have historically experienced three downturns of 5% a year, one correction of 10% a year, and one 15% decline every three years, so drops in the market are common.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Maserati Promises To Get Its Act Together Soon
Good morning! It's Thursday, June 5, 2025, and this is The Morning Shift, your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, in one place. This is where you'll find the most important stories that are shaping the way Americans drive and get around. In this morning's edition, Maserati says better things are coming soon, Tesla falls in China once again and Ford's employee pricing for all is working really well, but it still can't get out of its own way when it comes to recalls. Read more: These Are What You Wanted As First Cars (And What You Got Instead) Maserati is finalizing a new business plan that it expects to reveal shortly. The roadmap to right Maserati's sinking ship is set to be revealed soon after Stellantis' new CEO, Antonio Filosa, starts his job at the end of this month. The Italian automaker has had a rough go of it for some time now with slow sales, questionable-at-best quality and a lackluster product lineup. At the moment, there are no new model launches on the schedule as its parent company reviews its strategies. A previous revival plan was put on hold in 2024. From Reuters: Maserati CEO Santo Ficili said the plan was being finalised and would not just include new products but also redesign relations with dealers and the assistance network. "We have clear ideas about what we want to do, we hope we can be ready very soon," Ficili said at the Motor Valley Fest in the Italian city of Modena, where Maserati is headquartered. "Let's wait for Antonio to take up his job," he added. Stellantis last week named its North American chief Filosa, an Italian national, as its new CEO. His appointment will be effective from June 23. "Antonio loves the (Maserati) brand, I am sure we'll do great things," Ficili said, adding Maserati will continue to design, engineer and manufacture all its models in Italy. Asked about market speculation that Stellantis could assess a sale of Maserati amid poor results and falling sales, Ficili reiterated the group had no plans at all to divest from it. Alfa Romeo fans should start getting (cautiously) excited as well. Ficili, who also heads Alfa, says a review of the troubled Italian automaker is imminent as well. Stellantis has hired consulting firm McKinsey to advise on strategies for both Maserati and Alfa as they face the U.S. tariff storm. The U.S. is crucial for both brands. It accounts for about 30% of Maserati's sales and 15% of Alfa's. I suppose time will tell if Masertai's upcoming plan to save itself will be enough to, you know, save itself. I really hope it can pull through. I know it has the juice to make a great car like the GranTurismo and GranCabrio, but it needs more than a good driver's car if it wants to stay afloat. Tesla's Chinese vehicle shipments fell for an eighth straight month, exacerbating the global sales slump it has had to deal with since CEO Elon Musk decided to get all weird and alt-right-y. The Austin, Texas-based automaker shipped just 61,662 Model 3s and Model Ys from its Shanghai plant in May. That's a 15% drop from the same time last year. Further magnifying Tesla's problem is the fact China is going through a bit of a sales boom right now — especially with EVs and hybrids. Their sales have risen an estimated 38% to 1.24 million units. From Bloomberg: The snapshot from China signals the downturn in Tesla's sales across major global markets may have further to run. Registrations across some of Europe's biggest EV markets tumbled in April even as Tesla started shipping the redesigned Model Y SUV to customers. Chinese EV giant BYD Co. sold more EVs in Europe than Tesla for the first time ever in April, according to market researcher Jato Dynamics. Musk has said he's committed to leading Tesla and expects to pare back his political spending after his level of engagement with the carmaker came under growing scrutiny. His involvement in global politics and close ties to US President Donald Trump have sparked protests across the US and Europe and has weighed on EV sales. Will this cause Musk to change his ways? Probably not, but that'll just make this implosion even funnier to watch. Ford's sales were up in May, and its employee pricing program seems to be a big reason why. Customers looked for ways to be Trump's automotive tariffs before they got here. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker saw a 16.3% year-over-year sales gain in May. Not too shabby. All in all, it sold 220,959 vehicles in the fifth month of the year, driven by truck and SUV sales. Hell, even Lincoln saw a 39% sales increase to 11,573 vehicles. Shocking, I know. From the Detroit Free Press: "The monthly sales were better than feared and is a small step in the right direction," Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, told the Detroit Free Press on June 3. But there's "still a lot of wood to chop ahead for (CEO) Jim Farley and Ford with tariffs and demand issues." [...] Sales of its SUVs surged 25% when compared with May 2024 to 94,595 SUVs sold. Sales of pickups rose 11.2% to 121,354 units sold. But sales of Ford's electric vehicles plunged 25% to 6,723 EVs sold as overall consumer demand for EVs has slowed. Ford's F-150 Lightning EV sold just 1,902, a 42% decline, which also brought down the segment. [...] Year to date, Ford Motor's total sales are up 6.1% to 930,925 vehicles sold compared with the first five months of 2024. Of the Detroit-based automakers, only Ford reports monthly sales. Ford has been offering employee pricing for all of its U.S. customers since April 3, and it's set to run for at least another month until July 6. Between that program and people who want to buy cars before Trump's tariffs kick in. Good for Ford. It really needed a win... as you're about to see. One day, Ford will figure out its massive recall problem, but today is not that day. The automaker is recalling 556,043 vehicles in the U.S. in two separate recalls, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 492,145 of those are made up of 2016-2017 Explorers with B-pillar trim detachment issues, though just 4% are expected to be impacted. The other 63,898 are Mavericks that have loose or dislodged passenger airbag indicators. Luckily, Ford says it's not aware of any injuries or accidents caused by either recall. From Automotive News: In affected vehicles, the B-pillar trim may become detached, creating a hazard for surrounding drivers and increasing the risk of a crash. Ford issued a technical service bulletin to dealers regarding loose driver's side B-pillar trim in 2019, NHTSA said. The automaker did not think this posed a safety risk, but opened an investigation in March after receiving customer complaints from NHTSA. The automaker is aware of 1,482 warranty claims related to the defect. Dealers were notified of the recall May 27. Owners can expect to be notified June 9-13. Owners will receive another letter once a remedy is developed. 025 model-year trucks. The indicator may be loose or dislodged inside the instrument panel. Ford estimates about half the vehicles will be affected. Ford became aware of the issue during a predelivery inspection in April, NHTSA said. The automaker is aware of one warranty claim related to the defect. Owners can expect to be notified June 9-13. Dealers, who were notified of the recall May 23, will install retaining clips for the indicator free of charge after owners receive a second letter Sept. 22-26. Oh, Ford. What are we going to do with you? To learn more about this Dancing Crab moment, head over to It's finally getting hot in New York City, which means that it's time to pull out the Summer bops like "Steal My Sunshine." Those are the rules. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
