A floral design studio in Hoboken has been dealing with the difficult circumstances that have stemmed from the pandemic.

Susan Alvarez owns Cut 1 Floral Design. She says that for 20 years the business has focused on floral arrangements for large events, weddings, graduations and corporate work. But she says that the pandemic has impacted her business.

“The majority of our events have been canceled or postponed and we lost some of our corporate accounts too…I’ve had to let go of my staff,” Alvarez says.

To drum up some business, Alvarez says that she started creating virtual workshops on floral arrangements.

“Classes from beginners to intermediate. Run about an hour,” she says. “Even for people who are maybe starting in the floral business. They want to take a course like on funeral pieces, how to make beautiful sympathy pieces or French bouquets.”

Alvarez says that her experiences have taught her that past and present circumstances don’t dictate the future.

“I was born and raised in the projects…It’s heartwarming that not only myself, but a lot of us who grew up of Hispanic heritage in those same projects have come out and have been very successful,” she says.

Alvarez says anyone interested in the online workshops can find them on the company's website soon.