Nov 2, 2009

Stores consolidate to saveBy Geoff FolsomOaOa.com

For years, it’s been common to see a grocery store and discount retailer put together or a gas station and fast food restaurant in one. But some Odessa businesses are bringing “one stop shopping” to flowers and other more tender items.

Mary Norris, owner of the Petal Pusher, 1121 W. University Blvd., started renting out five-by-six segments of her store to people looking to sell their goods, ranging from Fredericksburg jellies to baby clothes to Watkins liniment and black pepper.

While local industry tries to diversify to keep from being stung too badly when oil and gas prices struggle, Norris said the same approach can be used with her flower and gift shop.

“They keep taking the property taxes up and up and up, and you’ve got to keep the sales up just to keep up with taxes,” Norris said.

Norris said she wants to rent out 14 spaces in her store and so far she’s found takers for about half that. She charges between $95 and $125 a month to rent each space. And vendors get to keep 100 percent of what they sell.

Norris said she wants to sell her business, but the slumping economy means that it’s tough for potential buyers to get credit from banks, so she’ll have to hold onto it for a while. So she decided that the best way to increase income was to bring more people in.

“People aren’t locked into a yearlong contract, and if they see they’re not going to do well, they can give 30 days notice that they’re leaving,” she said.

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