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CONSUMERS ACROSS THE BOARD, TARIFFS WILL IMPACT THOUSANDS OF ALABAMA BUSINESSES, FROM CAR DEALERSHIPS AND FURNITURE STORES TO CLOTHING RETAILERS. �������� 13 LISA CRANE SPOKE TO A BRIDAL STORE OWNER TODAY WHO SAYS THAT SHE’S ALREADY SEEING THE PRICE INCREASES. THIS PARTICULAR GOWN WOULD RUN AROUND 35 TO 3800. COLLEEN HOPWOOD OWNS BELK COUTURE IN MOUNT LAUREL, AN UPSCALE BRIDAL STORE FEATURING HUNDREDS OF DESIGNER GOWNS. EVEN BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP DECLARED TODAY LIBERATION DAY, NEW TARIFFS HAD ALREADY IMPACTED THE GARMENT INDUSTRY. SO FAR, WE’VE ONLY HAD ONE OF OUR DESIGNERS THAT HAS REACHED OUT TO US AND IMPLEMENTED AN INCREASE WITH THE TARIFFS. ACCORDING TO THEM, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A 20%, BUT THEY ONLY WENT UP 10%, WHICH WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR. SHE SAYS SOME DESIGNERS ALREADY RAISED THEIR PRICES ON THEIR LATEST COLLECTIONS, ANTICIPATING THE TARIFFS. IF YOU HAVE A GOWN THAT WOULD NORMALLY RETAIL FOR $4,000, THAT COULD INCREASE ANYWHERE FROM $500 TO 7 OR $800, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE DESIGNER SAYS, THAT YOU HAVE TO MARK THEIR DRESSES TO. NOW, SOME OF THE COMPANIES AND DESIGNERS WHO ACTUALLY DESIGNED THESE BEAUTIFUL GOWNS ACTUALLY HAVE THEM MANUFACTURED OR SEWN TOGETHER IN ASIAN COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA OR MYANMAR. HOPWOOD SAYS SHE’S HOPEFUL THESE TARIFFS WILL ENCOURAGE SOME TO BRING THOSE JOBS BACK TO THE U.S. SHE SAYS THEY USED TO CARRY A DESIGNER WHOSE GOWNS WERE MANUFACTURED HERE, BUT THAT COMPANY WENT BANKRUPT. THEIR GOWNS WERE MANUFACTURED IN NEW YORK, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL. BUT THEY WERE MORE EXPENSIVE. YEAH, BUT THE QUALITY AND THE FABRICATIONS WERE IT TO ME, IT WAS WORTH IT. SHE BELIEVES WHILE THERE WILL BE PRICE ADJUSTMENTS AND UNCERTAINTY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, EVENTUALLY THE MARKET WILL LEVEL OUT. AFTER GETTING THROUGH THE RECESSION IN 2008 AND THE PANDEMIC IN 2020, HOPWOOD BELIEVES THIS TOO, IS SURVIVABLE.