National Small Business Week 2025: Milwaukee Avenue Corridor in Chicago raises concerns over tariffs to Durbin, Ramirez
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO (WLS) — Some local businesses were raising concerns Friday about the impact of tariffs on their operating costs.

This is National Small Business Week.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Some Illinois Democrats are doing their best to keep up the pressure on the Trump Administration, hoping to bring about change.

The spotlight was on the Milwaukee Avenue Corridor, an area bustling with numerous small businesses. Many of these businesses are feeling the pressure from tariffs and are hopeful that a resolution will be reached soon.

At the family-run Magnifico Coffee in Avondale, they are all about a great cup of joe.

“Coffee is part of my heritage. I’m Colombian. So, we grew up drinking coffee,” Magnifico Coffee co-owner Angelica Acebedo-Frint said.

The tariff on specialty beans imported from South America is causing significant challenges for these businesses, as it results in a roughly 10 percent increase in their expenses.

“We’re tightening our budget a bit, but we’re trying to delay passing any extra costs onto our customers as long as possible. We understand that coffee, for some, is a necessity, and we want to avoid making it too pricey,” Acebedo-Frint explained.

“Coffee is great, the doughnuts are even better,” Sen. Dick Durbin said.

After their coffee shop stop, Durbin, Congresswoman Deliah Ramirez and others took a walk down Milwaukee Avenue, visiting several other small businesses, to learn about the impact of tariffs.

“The tariffs certainly scare us,” said Alan Yuen, who owns Friendship Chinese.

Yuen’s restaurant was founded by his father decades ago.

The tariff war with China is hitting home, with prices for various sauces and food skyrocketing.

“We are afraid that, in the very near future, the price is going to be more than double. And how are we going to survive?” Yuen said.

Democrats in Congress say they will continue to push back.

“And I think the pressure, the conversations, the town halls are working,” said Ramirez, a Democrat representing Chicago and the west suburbs.

“People understand this is a change that can be loss of jobs in the beginning of recession. So, I think that backlash is leading to some Republicans thinking twice about just blindly following the MAGA line,” Durbin said.

While Democrats do what little they can to influence things in Washington, business owners watch the economic swings, hoping for stability, so they can focus on what they do best: serving their customers.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Woman in floral dress holding a Pomeranian dog.

Cosmetic Doctor Found in Bathtub After Consuming Alcohol and Drugs Upon Learning of Boyfriend’s Infidelity

A COSMETIC doctor drowned in the bath after drinking wine and taking…
Is the Southern accent fixin' to disappear in parts of the US South?

Could the Southern Accent Be on the Verge of Vanishing in Some Areas of the US South?

During her childhood in Atlanta in the 1940s and 1950s, Susan Levine’s…
Charlie Woods falls short in US Open qualifying attempt

Charlie Woods Misses Out on US Open Spot After Qualifiers

Charlie Woods won’t be playing the U.S. Open this year.  The 16-year-old…
Google settles black employees' racial bias lawsuit for $50M

Google Agrees to $50 Million Settlement in Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Filed by Black Employees

Google agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the…
Firefighters at the site of a burning building.

Spanish Vacation Spot Alert: Tourists Advised to Stay Indoors Due to Toxic Cloud from Chemical Plant Fire

Visitors at a series of Spanish coastal resorts were advised to remain…
Mayor Baraka of Newark, New Jersey, arrested at ICE detention center he has been protesting

Newark Mayor Baraka Arrested During Protest at ICE Detention Center

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — On Friday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was taken…
Security camera footage of a robbery.

Terrifying Incident: 21-Year-Old Abducts Woman Amid Screams in Bizarre Kidnapping Attempt

THIS is the horrifying moment a creep dragged a screaming woman into…
Woman holding a glass of white wine.

The mystery surrounding the murder of a British mother in a French village intensifies, as it’s disclosed she confided plans for a divorce to a friend the night before her death.

THE Brit mum brutally stabbed to death outside her French home revealed…

Judge Halts Significant Trump Administration Efforts to Reduce Federal Agencies

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Trump administration must halt much of its…
Numbers give clear picture of how much OG Anunoby has shut down Celtics

Stats Highlight OG Anunoby’s Strong Defensive Performance Against the Celtics

The numbers, by this point, have become staggering. Since joining the Knicks…
President Trump seated at a desk in the Oval Office.

Trump Considers Limiting Legal Challenges to Detention Amid Immigration Crackdown, Advisor Reveals

DONALD Trump is planning to suspend habeas corpus to crack down on…
Pope Leo XIV 'had his head in his hands' as conclave voted, US cardinal reveals

US Cardinal Discloses: Pope Leo XIV Was Overwhelmed During Conclave Voting

U.S. Cardinal Joseph Tobin described the moment inside the conclave when he…