Davids Visits Toy Store to Highlight Impact of Trump’s Tariffs on Kansas Families, Small Businesses

PRARIE VILLAGE, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited The Learning Tree in Prairie Village to hear firsthand how President Donald Trump’s reckless and unpredictable tariffs are raising costs for Kansas small businesses and families. While major toy manufacturers are already hiking prices, smaller shops are struggling even more to absorb the added costs — leaving hardworking families to foot the bill.

“President Trump’s reckless tariffs are hurting Kansas families and small businesses,” said Davids. “Big corporations may be able to take the hit, but local shops like don’t have that luxury — and its parents who end up paying more for less. The Learning Tree is doing its part to keep costs low for families, but they shouldn’t have to fight against unstable trade policies to do it. We need smart, stable trade policies that support our economy, not erratic ones that drive up prices and put jobs at risk.”

“Our small local business prioritizes delivering the best product selection at competitive prices,” said Brett Goodwin, owner, The Learning Tree. “Tariffs impact our efforts to secure stock for the busy holiday season. We appreciate Rep. Davids' work to keep costs low. We are placing orders with more than 200 vendors for the holiday season. Each vendor has responded to the situation differently. We are doing our best to secure merchandise. We are planning to have a strong holiday season and end to 2025.”

Last month, Davids received a letter from Brett Goodwin, owner of The Learning Tree, echoing the American Specialty Toy Reatiler Association’s (ASTRA) concerns regarding the reckless tariffs and the impact they’d have on small businesses and prices paid by consumers. They said, “Small businesses like ours are the backbone of the economy and punitive tariffs will be very destructive to our ability to maintain our businesses.”

President Trump imposed tariffs of at least 10 percent on nearly all imported goods, with even steeper rates for some countries, including China. He brushed off the impact, saying kids might just have “two dolls instead of 30.” After backlash, he temporarily cut tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 percent to 30 percent — a move some described as a “flood” rather than a “tsunami.”

Experts warn his erratic tariff policies could raise prices on everything from groceries to gas — potentially by up to 70 cents a gallon — costing families $2,000 to $3,400 a year and putting 7 percent of Kansas jobs at risk. Even the right-leaning Tax Foundation found these tariffs were ultimately paid by U.S. consumers and businesses.

Davids previously spoke during a U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearing on the trade disruptions Kansas agricultural producers could face due to these tariffs — a concern echoed by Kansas Farm Bureau President Joe Newland. She also released a statement on tariffs found here.

Beyond tariffs, Davids has been pushing back against the President’s harmful policies — fighting against the firing of federal workers, cuts to Social Security and Medicaid, rising egg prices, the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, and rollbacks to tax credits that help Kansans lower their utility bills. 

At the same time, she has worked across the aisle to get things done. Partnering with her Republican colleagues, Davids is helping to cut wasteful spending in federal programs, modernize USPS delivery in Olathe, and lower child care costs. She has also already passed two bipartisan bills to support small businesses — a rare achievement for a Democrat in Washington right now.