Durbin Discusses Impact Of Trump's Tariffs On Chicago Small Businesses Owners
CHICAGO— U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined small business owners in Lincoln Park to discuss the impacts of President Trump’s tariffs.
“The Trump Tariffs are already driving up costs for manufacturers, disrupting our supply chains, and inspiring retaliatory tariffs, which will hurt small businesses like Lori’s Shoes, Art Effect, and Lost Soul Found, as well as their customers,” said Durbin. “President Trump has doubled down on these tariffs with nothing to show for it. Our small businesses here in Chicago are terrified to fail or be forced to lay off employees as they face the brunt of this trade war.”
“The premise that the tariffs are making America rich, and the origin pays for the import tariff, is unequivocally false. A tariff is a tax on American businesses and American consumers. To set the record straight - the importer of record, in this case Lori’s Shoes, is 100% financially responsible for these tariffs on our imports,” said Matt Andre, Footwear Buyer, Lori’s Shoes.
“The uncertainty of the future of small business in the United States and the livelihood of manufacturers is hanging on these tariffs. As a small business owner, we rely on these imports. I worry that come Christmastime, we’ll have empty shelves and empty storefronts in our community,” said Esther Fishman, Owner, Art Effect.
“As a city retailer, I know how much we all love strolling down a vibrant street, popping into unique shops, and discovering something unexpected—it’s part of what makes urban life feel alive. But that experience is under real threat. Tariffs, rising costs, and economic uncertainty are making it harder for small businesses to survive, and if we’re not careful, the rich variety we cherish could be replaced by empty storefronts and sameness,” said Suzanne D’Addario Brouder, Owner, Lost Soul Found.
In the wake of Trump’s tariff standoff, manufacturers have laid off thousands of workers, and foreign countries have retaliated by slapping their own tariffs on U.S. agricultural and manufactured goods. Current tariffs could result in up to 15,000 job cuts in the Chicago area and a $3 billion drop in its gross domestic product.
Durbin spoke on the Senate floor about the impact President Trump’s tariffs will have on small businesses, manufacturers, consumers, and workers in Illinois, which received $127 billion of imports from China, Canada, and Mexico in 2023. Durbin also joined fellow U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture member U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 17 of their colleagues in a letter to ask U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer for information on how the Trump Administration’s tariffs will impact farmers across the nation.
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