President Donald Trump's various tariffs on U.S. imports took effect this month.
It could majorly impact smaller businesses like Run Around Shoes in Joplin. But according to owner Erik Bartlett, it is still too soon to understand the tariff's exact impact.
The performance wear store has been in business for 15 years. It is one of the only small shoes and athletic gear businesses in Joplin.
Run Around Shoes primarily sells running shoe brands like Asics, Saucony, or Hoka. Asian countries produce a sizable portion of those brands.
Most of his products come from Vietnam or China, which has the highest tariff rate, at 145%.
He has maintained communication with the brands he sells. The brand's goal, according to Bartlett, is to keep the pre-tariff price.
"They've [the brands] have actually said – hey we're going to cover a lot of tariffs and so hopefully it doesn't affect pricing on the consumer or wholesale side at all," he explained.
President Trump has shifted his policy on tariffs depending on the countries' reaction. According to the BBC, countries that did not retaliate against U.S. tariffs received a reprieve of only a blanket 10% tariff until July.
The only country that did not get a reprieve was China.
With the back–and–forth of tariff policies, it is hard to understand where a business will be in the next year or so. As for Bartlett, he said he might have a better picture in the summer.
“Our industry works about 8 to 10 months in advance. So right now, the next 8 to 10 months we are well set," Bartlett adds. "You know, one brand could be a 5% increase, one brand could be a 20% increase. We really don't know."
The Trump administration's tariff increase aimed to protect domestic manufacturing. Unfortunately, Bartlett does not see his industry goods produced in the U.S.
"It would be where the consumer would pay astronomically higher prices if this product were manufactured here because to source these materials, our cost would just be out of out of this roof," he said.
Bartlett started this business after accomplishing his own fitness goal of losing a significant amount of weight. His favorite part about his job is helping people in their fitness journey.
He said now he is challenged by what used to be his least favorite part of the business.
"You obviously have issues in business, but I look at those issues as ways to learn to, to get stronger or more resilient," he said.
