BLACKSBURG, Va. – Local business owners in Blacksburg say talk of new federal tariffs has not yet had a big effect on day-to-day operations.
Following a recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential tariff powers and talk of a proposed 10% across-the-board tariff, some national headlines raised concerns about price spikes and supply disruptions. Locally, that has not translated into widespread alarm, owners say.
Eric Bissey, owner of Nice Dreams Shop in Blacksburg, said his store initially stocked up on glass products after hearing tariff discussions because many such items are imported from China.
“When I first heard about the tariffs, I bought a lot of my glass products, cause a lot of it comes from China. And I thought that would be affected the most. And I’ve had to since then go out and restock some of it. But even that pricing has not been affected.”
Bissey said a few product lines have seen modest price increases, but so far the effect on his bottom line has been minimal.
“As of now, it’s affected my clothing. It’s only raised the price, maybe a dollar per article of clothing. I don’t know if the wholesalers I’m going through are still working through inventory that was pre tariffs or not. But it has not really affected my business.”
Economic effects of tariffs tend to be uneven: some industries that rely heavily on imported components can be hit hard, while others feel little immediate change. In the New River Valley, small retailers have so far reported a muted response compared with national coverage.
“You know, people complain about it because they like to complain, but as far as actually making product more expensive, it has not done so not to the extent that they were afraid it was going to.”
Officials in Washington have framed the proposed tariff as temporary. The administration has said the 10% levy would last five months unless Congress acts to extend it. President Donald Trump was expected to address tariffs in his upcoming State of the Union speech.
For local shoppers and small businesses in Blacksburg, the next weeks will show whether modest price changes become broader trends or remain isolated adjustments by wholesalers and importers.