The clock is ticking for the Trump administration to secure trade deals before President Donald Trump’s pause on some tariffs expires.
But the uncertainty is taking a toll on Bay Area businesses that are already struggling with higher prices of food.
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WATCH HEREMountain View restaurant Los Portales has a sign outside the business thanking customers for their support.
The restaurant's sign said the following, "We truly appreciate each one of you especially during these uncertain times. We don’t know how long we’ll be able to stay open but with your continued support, we hope to be here for as long as we can.”
Salvador Puga has had the restaurant for 33 years. But in those 33 years, the last few months have been the toughest.
“It’s been very difficult. Everything is too expensive,” he said. “Especially avocados and the eggs.”
The recent times have forced them to raise their prices.
"A month and a half ago, I raised prices by 15%," Puga said.
Then there’s the uncertainty around Trump’s tariffs, and there’s already the baseline 10% tariff. But the possibility of higher ones could impact small businesses that are already struggling even more.
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SIGN UP Peter Katz, the president and CEO of the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement Tuesday:
“Uncertainty is never a good thing for businesses of any size, especially those with limited resources who cannot ride out wild fluctuations - particularly in the pricing and availability of goods and services. Small businesses are the heart of our local economies and communities, and operate on very small margins. When you combine higher operational costs with the fact that consumers will likely pull back on purchases if prices rise, the result is devastating. Already, several family owned restaurants and merchants have seen increased expenses in essential supplies, from food costs to packaging to raw materials. These businesses do not have the luxury of waiting months - or years - for things to normalize.”
Jocelyn Moran has more in the video above.
