At Oakwood High School, near Dayton, Ohio, sophomore Seth Upton hits the streets downtown to interview two small business owners about the effects of shifting US tariffs under President Trump.
In the four-and-a-half-minute video piece, one owner, a wine shop proprietor, notes that going out to eat is often one of the first sacrifices people make when times are tough. She categorizes her business as “the canary in the coal mine, with how people are feeling about their economic future.”
“My margins on a bottle of wine — if I buy it for $10, I charge $15,” she said. “I make $5 off of that bottle of wine. If it goes up to $12, I’m going to make what — $3 off of that bottle of wine? It’s … the silliest thing ever. Long term, you’re never going to just absorb those costs, so it is extremely hard for a small business.”
The uncertainty around tariffs — sometimes imposed, sometimes rolled back — makes it difficult for small business owners to plan for inventory and pricing. They often operate with thin margins, so an unexpected spike in wholesale costs can mean higher prices for customers, fewer product options, or, in the worst case, closure. For shops that serve the local community, those changes ripple out, affecting suppliers, employees, and loyal customers alike.
For high school students, the impact is closer than they might think. Many teens work part-time in local shops or restaurants, and rising prices can hit their own wallets when they buy coffee, clothes, or gifts downtown. Unpredictable business conditions can also reduce job opportunities for young people looking for after-school work.