TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — President Donald Trump is moving forward with a new round of tariffs that will impact goods imported from Canada, Mexico, and China, starting this Saturday.
The White House has announced that goods coming from China will be subject to an additional 10% tariff. For furniture store Really Cool Living, this could affect the cost of its sofas, a majority of which are sourced from China.
“We’re kind of in a wait-and-see mode to see how things go,” said Tom Dunn, the owner of the furniture store's Tucson location. "I know as a company we're looking at maybe moving some of that to Vietnam and that could be in response to the tariffs."
However, the heaviest tariff would be on goods imported from Canada and Mexico. Those products would be hit with a 25% tariff. President Trump says the tariffs could help curb illegal immigration and disrupt the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
“A lot of fentanyl comes through Canada, and China makes the fentanyl, you know, China makes the fentanyl, gives it to Mexico, puts it through Canada, puts it through different, different places, mostly Mexico, but also a lot through Canada, and so all three haven’t treated us very well,” Trump said.
The president also argues that the tariffs could benefit the U.S. economy by encouraging domestic manufacturing and increasing federal revenues. But if the tariffs are long-term, they could also drive up prices for consumers, especially on products like cars, gasoline, and produce.
Dunn is particularly concerned about how rising costs of other products could affect consumer spending at their business.
“If things like gas and vegetables are going up, then people will have less money for things like furniture,” he explained. “We want to keep it as affordable as we can.”
To avoid passing on those additional costs, Really Cool Living is absorbing higher prices for their monthly shipments.
“For example, if half of a truckload is coming from China, and it’s $15,000, a 10% tariff would add $1,500,” Dunn said. “That’s a number we’re comfortable with absorbing as a company.”
For now, the store is keeping prices the same for their customers.
“Hopefully, by keeping our prices where they're at, our customers will understand the value that we’re bringing to the table,” Dunn said.
But with the new tariffs taking effect, it’s unclear whether other businesses will be able to maintain prices in the face of rising import costs. There is also no word yet on whether any exceptions to the tariff rules will be granted to prevent consumer prices from spiking.
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
