Small business owners in Kansas City are feeling the pinch of tariff uncertainty, despite recent court rulings. Two local entrepreneurs, David Bulcock of Rochester Brewing and Roasting and Zach Cleary of The Active Hamper, have been significantly impacted. The ongoing tariff disputes have disrupted their planning, threatened their profit margins, and even forced one business to consider shutting down. The coffee roasting and brewing company and the specialty laundry hamper business are among the many small businesses feeling the effects of the ongoing tariff uncertainty. Bulcock's business, Rochester Brewing and Roasting, has been hit by tariffs on coffee beans and metals used in beer canning, forcing him to absorb cost increases without passing them on to customers. Cleary's The Active Hamper, which requires foreign sourcing for its nylon-spandex insert, has faced similar challenges. The shifting tariff landscape has made it nearly impossible to plan, and at one point, threatened the business entirely. Both owners emphasize the need for consistency in tariff policies, as every country has tariffs, and predict further disruption and uncertainty in the future.
