Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Lawn mowing services are hit with a double whammy.
BY WILL HANLON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — People are finding out that rising gas costs mean they’re paying more for other services, too.
“We used to be free delivery,” said Bob Pernotto, manager of Belleria Pizza & Italian Restaurant in Warren. “We’re charging $1 now.”
Pernotto attributes the delivery fee to rising gas prices.
Although the price of pizza has remained the same, the cost of making it is on the rise, Pernotto said. The high price of gas is affecting delivery of supplies to the shop. Surcharges for what the supply trucks are bringing in are higher, he said.
“We’re taking a hit,” Pernotto said.
The cost of plumbing could be on the rise, too. Jay Gettemy, of Gettemy Drain Service in Canfield, said gas prices are affecting his business.
With three vehicles and two machines that require gas, Gettemy said he is putting a lot of money into his business just on gas, and he will have to do something to make up for it.
Gettemy said the company hasn’t figured how to incorporate the price of gas into charges.
Would he consider increasing prices to keep up his business? “We may have to, may not have a choice,” Gettemy said.
Lawn care takes a hit
Yet another service hit by the higher gas prices is lawn care and mowing. Those who pay others to mow their lawns now pay more.
Willie Terry, of Terry’s Lawn Service in Canfield, said he had to raise what he usually charges to accommodate the high gas prices. “It’s definitely affecting things,” he said.
The lawn mowing service is a double-edged sword in gas consumption.
“It’s a combination of getting [to the customer’s lawn] and then mowing it,” Terry said.
The fee for florists’ delivery charges is also affected by gas cost.
“We’ve gone up $1 over the last few years,” said Barbara Armeni, of Bear Essentials Flowers & Gifts in North Jackson, regarding cost of delivery service.
Also, the way her company conducts business has changed.
“We’ve changed the way we’ve made our deliveries,” Armeni said. “We make one big trip going [more distance] instead of a couple of trips a day.” Armeni said that occasionally the business has lost customers because deliveries wouldn’t be made the same day.
Freight charges, for importing things such as pots and dirt, have gone up recently, but Armeni said that won’t affect her flower prices.
“It’s been tough, but you just have to conserve,” Armeni said.