WYOMING, Mich. — Small businesses in Wyoming and Kentwood are navigating the financial impacts of the "Liberation Day" tariffs implemented in 2025 by President Trump, which have significantly increased the cost of importing goods.
Guelaguetza Designs in Wyoming imports all of its items directly from artisans in Mexico. Owner Nancy Quero said the tariffs have made operations more costly this year.
"We've seen increases on shipping, that is for sure," Quero said. "We're seeing that increase when we're importing, because everything that we sell here is made in Mexico. So we we've seen like, from 10 to 25% increase in on our shipping cost."
The Trump administration said in a post on the White House website that the tariffs have "Protected American workers, generated substantial new revenue, encouraged fairer trade deals, and accelerated the return of manufacturing to U.S. soil."
White House spokesman Kush Desai going on to say:
"The results since Liberation Day have been astonishing: over 20 new trade deals, trillions in manufacturing investments, lower drug prices, and lower goods trade deficits. And this is just the beginning of the President’s transformation of global trade: as these investment and trade deals continue taking effect, and more get signed, Americans can count on the best being yet to come.”
Despite the increased costs, Quero remains committed to importing authentic items to maintain a connection to her heritage.
"Guelaguetza Designs was created because I wanted to feel a connection to my home culture. That's the intention, that the person that comes here, sees it and buys it, to makes a connection to Mexico," Quero said.
The items have significance to Nancy and her heritage as well, starting Guelaguetza Designs to better connect to her home county, after feeling a disconnection.
"These items have a history, you know, they are part of all culture and heritage. So that's why it's important," Quero said.
And instead of getting items from other countries that are mass produced, Quero feels its important to better uplift those in her home country, and feeling the heart of where these items come from.
"When you're buying here, we are guaranteeing something authentic that is going to benefit back to Mexico to many families, so they can continue with their work, their art, and can continue to pass it onto future generations," Quero said.
To support her neighbors, Quero is hosting a community market in June to showcase small businesses affected by the tariffs this year.
Schuil Coffee in Kentwood experienced similar challenges importing coffee beans from foreign countries. Owner, Tim Volkema, said they saw a 10% increase on imports, which they had to pass on to neighbors.
The shop's primary sourcing comes from green coffee beans, which are not grown in the United States. So imports cost Schuil nearly 10% on tariff charges, that the shop had to pass onto neighbors.
"We did because we had to. But Schuil especially is really focused on combining quality, but at a price point that's that feels accessible," Volkema said.
The tariffs on coffee ended in November 2025, but Tim said the financial impact was significant.
"It cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars. I mean, literally, it was meaningful," Volkema said.
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