A version of this feature ran in the June issue of BRAIN.
BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — For our June magazine edition, we asked our State of Retail panel members: How concerned are you about tariffs, how do you stay informed, and will you itemize the added costs?
MONTCLAIR, N.J.: Dave Adornato, owner Montclair Bikery
I’m extremely concerned about tariffs. One of my brands already has raised their prices. Others have said they’re considering it. As of late April 2025, we have not seen much, if any, pushback from customers when they are considering bikes that have had a price increase. My bigger concern is that when the full effect of tariffs sets in and our customers are making choices between non-discretionary spending, necessities, and discretionary spending like bikes, they will forgo bike purchases altogether.
To stay informed, I read The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Politico, and The Economist, in addition to bike industry news. At the moment, I do not plan to itemize the tariff surcharges. It's hard enough to negotiate price with customers, and I'm not comfortable adding another variable to the negotiation process. That said, when appropriate, tariffs could become part of the conversation with customers.
HARDWICK, Vt.: Jason Bahner, co-owner Riverside Cycles
I’m moderately concerned. Our ordering is very specific to our sales. We try not to over spend or buy unless there are specific needs for our customers. Our basic purchases have yet to be a concern in regards to tariffs and shipping. As for staying informed and finding out how tariffs will impact us, we are waiting for our vendors and suppliers to provide updates. At this point, it seems like there isn’t a lot of other direct info surrounding current impacts. In the future, if we need to explain higher costs to customers, we will do that as the need arises. Our customers are important to us, so we will be honest and up front with them.
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo.: Enric Die-Girbau, operations manager Rhythm Cycles
I am moderately concerned about tariffs, and as of this date in late April, we feel that the dust has not yet settled. We paid our first tariff on products from TRP on the 29th of (April), and we’re getting lots of updates from suppliers that changes are coming to stocking levels or prices. The bicycle industry seems to be poorly equipped to handle another layer of complexity. We've already seen a variety of different responses to the tariffs, including temporary stop-sales and the elimination of a product category. For staying up-to-date on tariff news and impacts, we read BRAIN and keep track of the many update emails from suppliers that we get on a daily basis. We are considering itemizing tariff costs as a separate line item, but it may be too work-intensive in our point-of-sale system (Lightspeed) to quantify products that are tariffed versus those that are not.
COSTA MESA, Calif.: Lisa Fleischaker, owner The Unlikely Cyclist
I’m extremely concerned about tariffs. The bicycle industry is one of many other industries that is part of a global economy, with most products manufactured outside of the United States. We have already seen suppliers no longer shipping in from Canada. If the tariffs go through, I expect to see many companies fold as a result. We are experiencing a decline in business in our store due to all the recent uncertainty in the economy. If policies continue the way they have been going, an already tough business will likely get worse, and I do plan to itemize tariff costs to our customers when the time comes to show how we are being charged by suppliers. I’m staying informed through stories in BRAIN, and my suppliers are providing as much information as they have, but I think most everyone is still in the dark at this point (in late April).
BOULDER, Colo.: Diana Freeman, owner/founder Cassiopeia
I am extremely concerned about tariffs. Already I am getting surprise bills that eat into already tight margins. This isn't sustainable. I hope cooler heads prevail and we normalize the madness. Looking to the longer term, I recognize pricing will adjust and margins will likely stabilize. However, the macroeconomic impact of reduced spending and inflation is the biggest concern I have for our business. There is so much noise about tariffs in the news. I ignore most of it and try to make sure we’re staying informed on the specific imports we’re managing in the near term. Even then, we've had surprises. I do not plan to itemize tariff costs to customers. We already sell premium apparel, and I don't think reminding customers that things are getting more expensive is an effective tactic to drive conversion.
GREENWICH, Conn.: Rob Koshar, owner Greenwich Bicycles
I’m somewhat concerned by tariffs. I think tariffs should be selective and strategic, not general, which makes prices higher for products like bicycles and related parts and accessories that will never be made in this country. Higher prices are generally bad for business, especially for family and kids’ bikes and discretionary purchases. On the other hand, my leftover inventory which is on sale, is more of a bargain and newer inventory can be sold for a better margin — while it lasts. I stay informed through my sales reps, but mostly by my vendors’ emails and websites of tariff price increases. Itemizing extra charges opens up a discussion I prefer to avoid because having one price keeps things simple. However, if manufacturers add a separate line item for tariff surcharges on their direct-to-consumer sites, we will have to follow suit to avoid looking like our prices are higher than advertised.
BELLINGHAM, Wash.: Staci May, co-owner Earl’s Bike Shop
I am moderately concerned by tariffs, only because I have no control over the situation. There is enough going on in the shop on a daily basis to work on. Our industry is not in a vacuum. Consumers are paying attention to what is going on in the world and they are concerned for the local businesses in our area. I think we will see a change in spending habits. All we can do is adjust as the hits keep coming. For news, I pay attention to the emails from the National Bicycle Dealers’ Association, and I receive good information from my P2 group, which is pretty on top of things. (P2 is an NBDA peer-driven performance group for bike shop owners). Right now, we have no plans to itemize our prices. We know the prices are going to go up — and so do our customers. At this point in time, we are really just having the conversation and preparing people for change.
MIAMISBURG, Ohio: Sandy Whitman Talley, owner Whitman’s Bike Way Bike Shop
I am somewhat concerned about tariffs. Increased MSRP, especially for the e-bike category, could discourage folks and make them decide to hold off on making a purchase — and even more so when it’s two people considering a purchase of a pair of bikes, which is a fairly typical sale for us. We’ve been inundated with update emails and I’m mainly staying informed from our suppliers, along with the National Bicycle Dealers’ Association. We find no reason to alarm our customers by itemizing hang tags, and instead we will continue to emphasize and promote U.S.-designed and U.S.-made products.
SAN FRANCISCO: Brett Thurber & Karen Wiener, owners The New Wheel
We’re moderately concerned about tariffs and think that the tariff "plan" is inept leadership masquerading as dealmaking prowess. Trying to negotiate against the whole world at once is the height of idiocy. We don't expect the current tariff plan to stand, but with chaos, corruption, and showmanship as the modus operandi, who knows what will happen? We encourage all of our brothers and sisters in non-blue districts to reach out to their representatives on the need for smart industrial policy that builds human capacity, sustainability, and resilience.
We’re staying informed by reading the financial press, specifically the Financial Times, and we’re also in close contact with the leadership of our main suppliers. As tariffs phase in, we will need to just increase prices and hope that stability comes at some point, and we don't see an effective way to itemize the surcharges.
