Like many industries, sellers of toys have petitioned the Trump Administration for a break on the tariffs he’s been imposing on a global scale. On April 28, The Toy Association put out a news release “urging the U.S. government to grant an immediate reprieve from tariffs on toys imported from China, so that toys are available on retail shelves and available for the holiday season. Beyond this short-term need, The Toy Association is also advocating for a longer-term solution, urging U.S. leaders to secure ‘zero for zero’ tariffs on toys through bilateral negotiations with trading partners.”
Two days later an apparent response to such concerns came from Trump himself, who said during a Cabinet meeting that higher prices caused by tariffs will mean “children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls.”
The Washington Post was among those covering that comment to note that it contained some contradictions:
“People of all ideological stripes, from liberals to conservatives to the late Pope Francis, have cautioned against American overconsumption — and suggested that the world’s richest nation should make do with less,” wrote Post reporter Martine Powers. “But Trump has never come close to espousing such a philosophy, not even in his messaging around his tariff policies, which threaten to raise prices on myriad consumer products, including dolls. In his second term, the president has decorated the Oval Office with gilded accents — and has promised repeatedly, as he did at a political rally in Warren, Mich., to ‘make America wealthy again.’”
As of this posting, the administration had not taken any action on The Toy Association’s request.
Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration
After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years."
Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations.
The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.
