How a costume shop in California is navigating tariffs this Halloween season
LA MESA, Calif. (NBC, KYMA) - The Halloween season is upon us. People are decorating their homes and office spaces with their favorite characters and thinking about their costumes, but celebrating the day is getting more expensive for some people.
When customers walk into Gypsy Treasure in La Mesa, they are in a sea of costumes and accessories to put together the perfect look for many holidays.
"Super fun. Stressful at times, but always fun," said Joelle Martenson, who co-owns Gypsy Treasure with her husband, Chris.
The couple, along with Theresa Fox, pride themselves in bringing an idea to life.
"We can costume anything from early Renaissance to pirate to Victorian to present day," Fox shared.
The store was started by Martenson's mother-in-law and continues to thrive, but it also faces new challenges.
"It's fun because every single day is different. Everyone who comes in and asks for something, it's always going to be a different thing. All year round, we're busy with not just Halloween, it's Renaissance fairs, it's drag...it's just always something different," Martenson explained.
Something else that's different is tariffs as President Donald Trump signed an executive order this year placing sweeping tariffs on countries and goods.
Many Halloween products are made overseas. According to the Halloween and Costume Association, about 90% of halloween products have at least one component made overseas.
Martenson explains the tough decisions that are being made.
"Most of the companies we order from are U.S.-based that we didn't get hit too hard. There's maybe one or two companies that we just didn't really order from for a little bit until the tariffs were lifted," Martenson explained.
Martenson said the key to navigating tariffs, or any other issue that arises, is to adjust and to adjust quickly.
"Carry and get all things that are popular within where we are like there's always something new every single year that people are asking for or wanting a new movie comes out, a new show. We just try to stay up with the times," she added.
Martenson says about 60% of the business the store does each year happens between August and November.
As Fox and the Martensons continue doing what they love, they're thinking about fellow business owners during this time.
"I mean it's rough out there for everyone. Prices are going up everywhere with everything, but we are doing we're doing good. We're doing we're doing okay here. We like it. Every single year is busier and busier and busier," Martenson remarked.
