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The Abbey's owner warns that consumers at gay bars (and all bars) would shoulder the costs.
Despairing about the unaffordability of drinks at gay bars? Knock one back, because it may cost more than twice as much soon to drown those sorrows.
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On Day One of his presidency, Donald Trump has promised to impose steep tariffs (25 percent) on imports from Canada and Mexico. These tariffs will "remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!" the president-elect wrote on Truth Social.
While Trump has insisted that it is these countries who will "pay a very big price," business owners caution otherwise. These tariffs will drive up the prices of imported spirits like tequila — and they will also drive up the costs of domestic spirits like vodka, warns Tristan Schukraft, the owner of The Abbey, a prominent gay bar in West Hollywood. He estimate that prices could spike up to a whopping 60 percent for consumers, who will bear the burden of this cost and for products across the board.
"Tariffs will impact every aspect of life," the Out100 honoree confirms. "In the case of premium spirits like tequila and essential products like avocados, tariffs simply raise costs for businesses and to maintain their profit, businesses pass those costs on to consumers. Tariffs might incentivize more domestic production, but they won’t lead to lower prices."
"A domestic vodka might compete with an imported premium tequila, but when the tariff drives up the cost of tequila, domestic vodka producers don’t lower their prices — they raise them to capitalize on the market shift. Suddenly, that vodka soda, with no imported ingredients, costs 30 to 60 percent more," he says. "Consumers are the ones who will end up paying more for the same products. It will impact fashion, health care, food and beverage, produce, fitness equipment, washing machines, cars, and almost every category of things you buy."
These tariffs are "bad for business and bad for everyone’s wallet," Schukraft sums up.
We'll drink to that.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor-in-chief of Out and an award-winning journalist who focuses on the intersection between entertainment and politics. This Jersey boy has now lived in Los Angeles for more than a decade.
