In the Shadow of Tariffs, Local Businesses Navigate an Unsteady Future

As trade policies fluctuate with little warning, independent retailers find themselves grappling with the relentless pressure of trying to stay afloat in an economy that won't sit still.

“Everyone’s kind of having a meltdown, as they should. It’s really scary,” said Luisa Navarro, founder, Mexico In My Pocket. Illustration by Tim Le

As the foundations of the American economy continue to shift, local businesses are in a scramble for solid ground.

This week brought another round of volatility in tariff policy. While some extra tariffs are on pause for now, the 10 percent tariff rate is still in effect for goods coming from all countries, except for China, which faces a steep 145 percent rate. These figures feel provisional at best, placeholders in a system defined more by its unpredictability than its precision, liable to change before they can be meaningfully acted upon.

For small retailers — the kinds of businesses that lend character and texture to neighborhoods — the uncertainty is not a distant policy issue, it’s an existential one. Some are preparing for impact, unconvinced their already narrow margins will carry them through the year. Others are attempting the difficult work of reinvention in real time, rethinking strategy in between customer interactions, hoping their adaptability might be enough.