Vermont Businesses Sound Alarm Over Tariffs: Tourism Takes a Hit

Senator Peter Welch of Vermont recently gathered small business owners from across his state to talk about a topic that's giving local entrepreneurs a headache: tariffs. And if you thought tariffs were just a big-city or Wall Street problem, think again—Vermont's tourism and local businesses are feeling the sting, and they aren't shy about saying so.

Welch, who’s also backing a bipartisan bill to roll back these tariffs, didn’t mince words, calling them a "self-inflicted wound." He highlighted how the new trade policies are already making life tougher for businesses, farmers, and working families—whether they're in rural Vermont or anywhere else in America. In his view, the economic pain from President Trump’s trade war doesn’t care about your zip code or political leanings.

At a roundtable in Stowe, just a snowball’s throw from the Quebec border, local business owners echoed Welch's concerns. Jen Kimmich, who runs the beloved Alchemist Brewery, summed up the general feeling: nobody really knows how bad it could get, but everyone’s bracing for higher costs. Kimmich illustrated just how global supply chains have become—her brewery’s aluminum comes from the U.S., but it’s mixed with recycled Brazilian metal, shipped through Canada, and only then made into cans in Vermont. That’s a lot of stamps on one beer can!

Kimmich said her team already raised prices by 5% and swallowed another 10% hit themselves. Specialty malt from the UK, luckily, isn’t tariffed—yet. But she warned that the uncertainty is scaring off tourists, especially Canadians who used to flock to Vermont’s breweries and ski slopes.

Christa Bowdish, owner of the Old Stagecoach Inn, said 95% of her business relies on visitors, with Canadians making up a key slice. While January was promising, the rest of ski season fizzled as web traffic from Canada dipped—likely a side effect of icy political rhetoric and tariffs. Bowdish even read out a letter from a Canadian guest who canceled their trip, citing the chilly political atmosphere. She warned that when tourists start building new traditions elsewhere, Vermont could lose them for good.

Caleb Magoon from Power Play Sports added that supply chain headaches are stacking up. With over 100 vendors from Dubai to Waterbury, he’s watching tariffs threaten his ability to keep shelves stocked. Ski and snowsports businesses are also worried, as many won’t even know the full impact until their doors reopen in November.

For now, Vermont’s small business owners are left hoping that Washington listens before the uncertainty snowballs into an avalanche for the local economy.