Beth Burger The Columbus Dispatch Apr 14, 2020 at 3:26 PM Florists weigh whether to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic by continuing no-contact deliveries to spread cheer or to stay shuttered in hopes of curtailing the virus. With many people self-isolating to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, life events such as large weddings and funeral services have been postponed or scaled back for safety. Those events are normally marked by floral arrangements that bring beauty and comfort. But without them, struggling florists have had to decide whether to continue to deliver handcrafted bouquets or shutter their businesses. >> This story is being provided free as a public service to our readers during the coronavirus outbreak. You can find more stories on coronavirus here. Please support local journalism by subscribing to The Columbus Dispatch at subscribe.dispatch.com. Some discounted their flowers; others gave them away. In at least one case, a bride pitched in with florists to donate her floral arrangements, which had been destined for the church altar and a reception. 5th Ave.Floral Co. marked flowers half off, and it closed its doors at the end of the day on March 23. On Monday, the business began accepting local orders online. “A lot of other florists are open and delivering. So just because we can deliver and not do any contact, I decided that I needed to re-open,” said Kim Fitz, owner of 5th Ave., 1877 Kenny Road on the Northwest side. “Financially, I need to be able to pay my mortgage and all my other bills,” she said. “What really stinks is that the Valentine bills are now just coming in (from growers).To try to pay them, it will really be a priority.” With less than a month to go before Mother’s Day, which is on May […]