Hannah Rosen

This is Radio Atlantic. I'm Hannah Rosen. Tariffs are no longer an abstraction. They're showing up in shopping carts, supermarket, and virtual. And they're forcing a lot of Americans to reckon with a way of living that we've taken for granted. Products get made cheaply somewhere else, giving us an abundance of choice over here.

We'll talk more later about how tariffs have the potential to change American culture. But first, the Jilly Bing emergency. What tariffs look like from the side of the American producer who's determined to give us more choice? Before the most restrictive tariffs on China went into place last month, Eleanor Mack was already in emergency mode.

We'll talk more later about how tariffs have the potential to change American culture. But first, the Jilly Bing emergency. What tariffs look like from the side of the American producer who's determined to give us more choice? Before the most restrictive tariffs on China went into place last month, Eleanor Mack was already in emergency mode.

We'll talk more later about how tariffs have the potential to change American culture. But first, the Jilly Bing emergency. What tariffs look like from the side of the American producer who's determined to give us more choice? Before the most restrictive tariffs on China went into place last month, Eleanor Mack was already in emergency mode.

A factory she developed a good relationship with announced that they had plans to close, totally unrelated to the impending trade war. So, like every good entrepreneur, Eleanor hustled.

A factory she developed a good relationship with announced that they had plans to close, totally unrelated to the impending trade war. So, like every good entrepreneur, Eleanor hustled.

A factory she developed a good relationship with announced that they had plans to close, totally unrelated to the impending trade war. So, like every good entrepreneur, Eleanor hustled.

Mm-hmm. And when you heard about the tariffs, did you immediately go into action, like call the staff, sit back of the envelope, figure it all out? Or did you call people? Like, how did you move through that process?

Mm-hmm. And when you heard about the tariffs, did you immediately go into action, like call the staff, sit back of the envelope, figure it all out? Or did you call people? Like, how did you move through that process?

Mm-hmm. And when you heard about the tariffs, did you immediately go into action, like call the staff, sit back of the envelope, figure it all out? Or did you call people? Like, how did you move through that process?

So the decision, I understand. So the decision is even about putting in orders because you don't know what's going to happen at the back end. Like it's about the uncertainty because you just can't predict the entire process. Like you can't predict it from beginning to end. So you could be stuck with this inventory that you then have to pay so much more for.

So the decision, I understand. So the decision is even about putting in orders because you don't know what's going to happen at the back end. Like it's about the uncertainty because you just can't predict the entire process. Like you can't predict it from beginning to end. So you could be stuck with this inventory that you then have to pay so much more for.

So the decision, I understand. So the decision is even about putting in orders because you don't know what's going to happen at the back end. Like it's about the uncertainty because you just can't predict the entire process. Like you can't predict it from beginning to end. So you could be stuck with this inventory that you then have to pay so much more for.

I see. Okay. So it's April. You've got a decision to make. So I see why you had to do this really quickly. Numbers are going through your head. Like, how much more is this going to cost? Everything that you mentioned, right? But on the other side of it is your company, like this thing that you've built that's very personal. So how did you weigh all that?

I see. Okay. So it's April. You've got a decision to make. So I see why you had to do this really quickly. Numbers are going through your head. Like, how much more is this going to cost? Everything that you mentioned, right? But on the other side of it is your company, like this thing that you've built that's very personal. So how did you weigh all that?

I see. Okay. So it's April. You've got a decision to make. So I see why you had to do this really quickly. Numbers are going through your head. Like, how much more is this going to cost? Everything that you mentioned, right? But on the other side of it is your company, like this thing that you've built that's very personal. So how did you weigh all that?

You know what I don't, I don't know that I have a good sense of, maybe this is just how entrepreneurs are. Like, I don't know that I have a good sense of whether you, do you think you'll weather this? I can't tell. Like how realistic a hope is that?

You know what I don't, I don't know that I have a good sense of, maybe this is just how entrepreneurs are. Like, I don't know that I have a good sense of whether you, do you think you'll weather this? I can't tell. Like how realistic a hope is that?

You know what I don't, I don't know that I have a good sense of, maybe this is just how entrepreneurs are. Like, I don't know that I have a good sense of whether you, do you think you'll weather this? I can't tell. Like how realistic a hope is that?

So before the last doll is out of your house or wherever you keep the dolls, things have to shift politically, right?