ORLANDO, Fla. —
At Ritzy Rags in College Park, Leigh Shannon has it all. If you’re looking for a crazy costume wig, he’s got it. If you’re a cancer patient looking for a high-quality wig, he’s there to help.
Shannon estimates that 50 percent of what he has in his shop is made in China.
Like most small businesses, the ups and downs of talks on tariffs, China in particular, terrify him.
He wonders where his vendor’s prices will land and agonizes over where to set his.
“I can’t raise them much higher. People just won’t pay it — just will not pay. And I’ve seen a change in customers just watching their pennies,” Shannon said.
The customers Shannon is most concerned about are people like Monica, cancer patients, where a wig is more than changing your look for one night but changing your look for a new future.
“They have costs already, have costs, medical. So how can I go up another 30 to 50 percent? I can’t,” Shannon said.
Other decisions that keep small business owners like Shannon up at night include whether to buy more stock in anticipation of higher prices from vendors or hold back.
“Will the customers be there?” Shannon said.
