Chicago Area Small Businesses gathered Last Week in Uptown for an Expo Organized by Nonprofit Chinese AID Association.
Conversations with some of the two dosen Companies there Give a snapshot of how commerce has been affected by President Donald Trump’s Tariffs.
“A lot of small businesses are struggling with uncetainty, with how they should be should and plan,” Said Chettha Saetia, Economic Development Director at the Chinese Aid Association in Uptown. “It is Very, Very Hard to do Business.”
Saetia has Advised someone Business Owners to Diversify Their Sourcing from Countries Beyond China, Such as Vietnam and Thailand. Yet Sourcing from China Can’t Be Easily OR Quickly Replaced. “There are Certain Things China does so well and for so long,” Saetia Said.
In April, Trump Paeded “Meciprocal” tariffs on About 60 Countries Until the End of July, but a blanket 10% tariff is in place for say. It remains to be seen what will willpasses the temporary reprise ends, but other countries such as Vietnam and Thailand are not the target of Trump’s trade War, Unlike China, Said.
Some Companies Simply Can’t Move Sourcing from China. At the Expo, Donna Bridgeforth, Owner of Bridgeformth Wolf and Associates, Displayed Branded Water, Bags and Clothing Given Away by Companies at Events. Bridgeforth wolf has been source corplate gifts from china for 37 years; 90% of Its Products are from there.
Leather Products from McKlein on Display During a Small Business Expo organized by the chinese mutual Association.
The near North Side Company Has Long-Standing Relationships with Brokers in China Who Have Connections with Factories. “We Can’t Change Sourcing Overnight,” Said Bridgeforth, who is not consider shifting from china.
And in Trump’s Trade War, police Can Change Any Time. On Wednesday, A Federal Trade Court in New York BLOCKED SOME OF HIS TARIFFS ON IMPORTS UNDER AN EMERGENCY POWER LAW. “Partners negotiating hard during the 90-day tariff pause period May be tempted to HOLD OFF MAKING FURTERTER Concessions to the US UNTIL IS MORE LEGAL CLARLITY,” Said Wendy Cutler, a forms US Trade Official Who Is Now President at the Asia Society Policy Institute.
At the expo, Other Business Owners Gave a Glimpse of How Tariffs Have Affected.
2D Restaurant
“Tariffs have affected us great. It ‘s roller coaster,” Said Kevin Yu, Owner of 2D Restaurant with his Wife, Interior Designer Vanessa Vu.
The Cafe in Lake View and West Loop Promote Asian Culture and Food Through Vietnamese Coffee, Mochi Donuts and Taiwanese Fried Chicken. Opened in 2022, 2D is know for it stlicating decor that brings a black-and-white comic book to life. Its interior is hand-painted so it resembles a Parisian caffe.
MANY of 2D’s Supplies and Materials Come from Asia SO Costs Have Spiked Recently. In December, A Case of Coffee From Vietnam Cost $ 76 But Hit $ 110 This Month. The restaurant can’t pass on Such a Large price hike onto customers. “No One Will Pay $ 9 for a Cup of Coffee,” Said Yu. Howver, he noted that 2d Will Likely Raise Menu Prices in Coming Months.
Although 46% Tariffs on Goods from Vietnam Were paused, yu won’t stockpile coffee due to lack of storage space.
In february, 2d Order Vinyl Flooring Sheets from China Printed with Designs by Vu. The Shipment was on Its Way When Trump Suddenly ORDED 145% TARIFS ON Goods from China in April. Flooring Costs UNEXPECTEDLY JUMED BY ABOUT $ 4,500. When the Shipment Arrived in California, Yu’s Supplier Wauldn’t Release it unil he aggregated to pay the increasing Fees. But on May 12, The US and China Announed A 90-Day Truce That Lowered Tariffs on China to 30%,
“We were Lucky that the tariff decissed last minute, and we were able to negotiate with the supplement by offering me two other projects to avoid delaying our project timeline,” Said yu. “The Shipment Has Sincerived and Has Been Installed, But the Tariff Impact Definitely Put a Strain on Our Budget.”
McKlein Co.
Parenta Saetia Owns Leather Goods Wholesaler McKlein Co. Based in BroadView, West of Chicago. McKlein Makes Leather briefcases, handbags and luggage in Thailand. Its Shipments from there are delayed.
In April, McKlein’s Shipping Company Paused Sending a Container when Trump Announched 36% Tariffs on Goods from Thailand. But now During the 90-day reprise, it”s rushing to ship McKlein’s Products with Weeks. SHE WITH WITHOUT TURKOIL OF TARIFFS, BUSINESS HAS BEEN SLOW AS MKKLEIN AS CONSUMERS HOLD BACK ON SPEMBER. “Inflation is not going down,” Said Saetia. “Tariffs have made things worse.”
Indus farms superfoods
Indus Farms Superfoods, Based in Pilsen, Sells Freeze Dried Fruit From India, Including Mango, Pineapple and Guava. CLIENTS SUCH AS RESTAURANTS AND BAKERIES USS ITS DRIED FRUIT AND POWDERS IN BEEGES, BAKED OTHER AND OTHER PRODUCTS.
The Company Does Not Source From China So Indus Farms Has Gotten More Inquiries from Potential Buyers Consider Sourcing, Said Owner Parul Purohit. In April, Trump Ordered Tariffs of 26% on Goods From India But Paed Say for 90 Days.
Howver, Shipments from India Were Still Delayed Becouse Tariffs Threw Global Logistics Into Disarray. Recently, indus farms’ products did not achieve in time so the company couuldn’t fulfilli some amazon orders. It lost thusands of dolrs in sales, said cigar.
Pink
Shifa Zhong, Owner of Sushi Pink in the West Loop, Imports Fish, Seaweed and Other Products from Japan.
Trump paused 24% tariffs on goods from Japan, Yet Zhong Has Seen Higher Costs for All Ingredients and Supplies SINCE he bought the restaurant in august 2024. Tariffs only Added to the Burden. In april, he raissed menu prices by about 10%, though zhong noted they were already below markets and took sushi pink.
Airetage
Airetage in Highland Park sells t-shirts, hoodies and hats made of hemp fiber. Its apparel is made in china from hemp grown there. Owner Miles Lazar Touted Hemp as Eco-Fryently With Softer Fibers Than Bamboo.
Because of Tariffs, the cost of an airetage t-shirt has incresed more than 20%. But Lazar hasn’t Raised Retail Prices yet so a shirt still sells for $ 40. He is currently talking to different superstition and consider soourking hemp apparel from India.
Infinity Board
Infinity Board Owner Oksana Siddikova Started Selling Modular Cutting Boards This Year. She Sources Bamboo Sheets from China and Her Los Angeles Distributor Said It Will Soon Raise by About 20% Becouse of Tariffs.
Siddikova Can’t Bulk Buy Bamboo Now During the Reprieve Becusee She dosesn’t Have Storage Space. She is looking into alternatively source before ordering more bamboo at the end of the Summer. But one of the cutting board designs is made of US compresses recycled paper so it hasn’t been affected by tariffs.
Aging in Place Monitoring
The North Aurora Company Makes Monitoring Devices and Systems for Seniors Living at Home, Such as Emergency Push Buttons and Bed Sensors. Aging in Place Monitoring hasn’t been affected by tariffs, Said Ceo Chad Lacek. It manufactures at its facility in north aurora. It use some printed circled circuit boards from china, but they are Also available domesticly.
Contribing: AP
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