How will California small businesses survive another 3 months shut down?
Diana's Flowers owner Mihaela Caldarescu speaks out.
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Southern California florist Mihaela Caldarescu said Thursday her business will not be able to survive if the state is not fully reopened soon.
In an interview on "Fox & Friends First" with hosts Jillian Mele and Rob Schmitt, the owner of Diana's Flowers confirmed that recent messaging from state and local officials has her worried about whether her business will survive.
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"We were allowed for Mother's Day to open for deliveries and pickup, but we couldn't find flowers in the market. So, the supply chain doesn't work as before [and] we were sold out in three hours," she remarked. "And, it's not going to get back sooner — the supply chain, I mean. I went to the flower market downtown and everything was closed."
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was forced to clarify comments made Tuesday by county public health director Barbara Ferrer concerning his "Safer at Home" coronavirus order being extended.
Ferrer created a stir when she told the county's board of supervisors that some form of public health restrictions will likely be in place at least another three months due to the continuing threat of the virus. Her remark quickly made headlines and prompted an outcry from residents and business owners bending under the strain of the pandemic. Ferrer later issued an apology, explaining that her statement was taken out of context.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday that more restrictions on public and business activity could happen if there is a spike in coronavirus cases. (Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti via AP)
“No, we won’t be shut down for three more months. That’s not what I heard, that’s not what I expect, that’s not what I hope,” Garcetti told reporters.
On Wednesday, L.A. County issued a new, open-ended public health order allowing all retail businesses to reopen for curbside merchandise pickup only, except those located inside indoor shopping malls. The initial health order was set to expire on May 15. Although the updated "Safer at Home" order has no end date to it, Garcetti promised Los Angeles would not be in a lockdown forever.
But Caldarescu told the "Friends First" hosts that time is running out and Golden State officials are focused only on health care.
"I got approved for the [Paycheck Protection Program] loan but those funds are specific for payroll to bring back employees. But, since the store is not open and there's nothing that we can do in the store, I mean, [I would] just bring back the employees to pay them for doing nothing. And then, we only have a limited period like eight weeks for that loan to use it," she stated.
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Caldarescu added that the state officials' approach to reopening is unrealistic.
"Because if we don't open, then we're not going to be able to open again and we have to pay rent and [the] mortgage and we need to survive some way," she concluded.
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