BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Local businesses like Montana Sky are adapting to tariffs by sourcing American-made products.
- Laura Leablake, owner of Montana Sky, reports minimal impact from tariffs so far.
Despite her local sourcing, Leablake faces competition from online retailers like Temu and Shein.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
With local businesses facing the impact of tariffs, some are finding solutions to sustain themselves. speaking with one business owner who's confident that these tariffs won't stand in her way.
Montana Sky has been in Bakersfield for 3 years.
Owned by Laura Leablake, she sells babies, men's, women's clothes, and tells me tariffs haven't hit her yet as she buys merchandise mostly from vendors within the country.
Laura Leablake said, "I stay within the United States there's only two products I think I bought one from Canada and pottery pieces."
As she believes her solution to sustain her business is shopping American-made materials, but she knows not all clothing businesses have the luxury of having manufacturers and vendors who sell to them locally.
Laura Leablake said, "It's harder with the clothing to be honest with you because we just don't have huge manufacturing plants here so it forces me to look elsewhere."
But there's other challenges in any given day she could lose between 5 to 35 long-time customers to online shopping.
Laura Leablake said, "Our biggest thing that we are fighting with right now is the computer you know."
Her biggest online competitors are Temu and Shein, both Chinese owned companies.
Both companies have been forced to raise prices because of Trump's tariffs.
Laura Leablake said, "With the tariffs like Temu and Shein even if their prices go up 10 dollars an item I think people are still going to buy it."
She tells me that even though the prices may continue to go up she's hoping tariffs are a solution.
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