Trump’s New Tariffs Hit Charlotte Candle Maker, Forcing Price Changes and Supply Swaps
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte-based candle artist is feeling the heat — not from her wax, but from the rising costs of doing business under new tariffs rolled out by the Trump administration.
Summerlin Gilliam, owner of Bailiwick Studios, has built a small business creating custom candle art, but says the economic environment is growing tougher under the former president’s second term.
“I call it candle art. I tell people I’m a candle artist,” Gilliam said in an interview with Queen City News.
Tariffs Push Business Owners to Reconsider Materials
Gilliam originally sourced rapeseed wax from Latvia through Etsy. But with shifting international trade conditions, she’s now had to cut that product from her supply list due to tariff uncertainty.
“Not as long as potentially it’s going to be tariff issues,” she said. “So there are some things I am having to substitute.”
The difficulty didn’t end with wax. After her preferred colored glass jars ran out of stock locally, Gilliam ordered a batch from Canada. The jars cost $65 — but when they arrived in North Carolina, she was unexpectedly hit with an $85 import tax.
“At that point, to pay $85 on top of $65, it would no longer be beneficial for me to resell,” Gilliam said. “I would have to sell them at a loss or not sell them at all.”
New Round of Tariffs on Copper, Pharmaceuticals
On Tuesday, President Trump announced yet another wave of tariffs, this time targeting copper and pharmaceutical imports. This latest move marks the fourth round of sweeping tariffs issued since the start of his second term in office.
Gilliam, like many small business owners, is watching anxiously as each new policy unfolds.
“Based on the experience I had before, I’m mortified when I hear it now,” she said. “I’m like, where else is the hit going to come from?”
Adapting to Stay Afloat
Despite the hurdles, Gilliam is committed to adapting.
She’s exploring alternate materials and shifting to cheaper, locally available options, even if it means letting go of favorites she knows work best.
“Instead of using the wax that I really love… let me start all over again and try a different product that works just as well,” she said.
She’s also urging shoppers to be mindful of the added strain on independent creators.
“It’s not fair all around, right? So if that means I have to change product or my supply, that’s one way to do it,” she explained.
Gilliam continues to run Bailiwick Studios out of her home and shares her work via Instagram and Facebook.
Are you a small business owner in Charlotte impacted by new trade or tax policies? Share your experience with us in the comments — your voice helps shape how we report issues affecting our community.
