Now we are facing our biggest challenge yet: blanket tariffs on China and potentially every other country. As a 76-year-old, locally owned family business, we have always looked first for US-made products. I would love to see my store filled with only local products, but realistically that is not possible. In some categories such as toys and Christmas trim, more than 80 percent of products are manufactured in China. Enormous amounts of fishing rods, small kitchen appliances, and other types of products are made in China or use components sourced from China. These include products we use every day.

Targeted tariffs are a powerful tool that can be used to increase domestic manufacturing and protect industries. But blanket tariffs on all categories just raise costs for the end consumer. I am getting daily notices of price increases, canceled items, and items that are no longer available in the United States.

Many vendors are waiting it out, but time is growing short. We are heading toward a supply-chain crisis. Entire categories may not be available, may be limited in selection, or will be incredibly expensive for both consumers and small businesses. Small US businesses that manufacture their items in China will close, and layoffs will occur. This year began with great plans to remodel areas of our store, update our website, and add new full-time staff. Those plans have been canceled, and now I have to consider what cuts may have to be made.

Blanket tariffs are bad for small businesses and consumers, and it is vital for our economy for the president to reach deals very soon.

Hector Piña is owner of Merengue and Vejigantes restaurants in Boston.

The economic situation for many small businesses in the Commonwealth is unstable at best. However, in my industry, the restaurant industry, the pressures are magnified by our extremely tight margins. We are at a critical point, not only in Boston but statewide and across the nation. Political instability, economic uncertainty, and inflation are creating the perfect storm for restaurants. Every day, more restaurants are closing their doors. I fear that the industry may be on the verge of collapse.

I got my start in the restaurant business in 1994. I’ve worked every job there is in a restaurant, and even now, as an owner, I wear many hats. The changes I’ve seen are dramatic. The crossroads, I believe, came with the pandemic. We never returned to the way things were before, and now nothing seems certain. The Latino community in particular — my customers, my employees, my community — is in panic mode. It is no longer frequenting local restaurants, and many businesses are losing both customers and employees.

In my own business, sales since COVID hit are down 35 percent, while the cost of everything has doubled. It’s a constant struggle to secure the necessary supplies at the best prices. I am in regular contact with other restaurateurs in the area, and everyone is feeling the strain. Now, to make matters worse, tariffs on Mexican produce and other products are driving up prices to the point where a restaurant meal may soon be out of reach for many families.

While politicians and media outlets claim things will get better, I don’t share their optimism. I see a different reality — one that is bleak. My hope is to survive and keep serving our customers, whom we appreciate greatly. And perhaps most importantly, to keep our employees, who are like family to us, employed.

Judy Herrell is president of Herrell’s Ice Cream.

As a small-business owner in Western Massachusetts, I am deeply concerned with the current retail marketplace. My company, Herrell’s Ice Cream, with locations in Northampton and Amherst, primarily manufactures products like ice cream and hot fudge sauces. Not core products in your everyday diet, but fun foods to treat yourself or splurge on when you have some extra pocket money.

Today, the prices of the ingredients we need to manufacture our products are climbing at an alarming rate. The cost of dairy, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, flavorings, fruits, juices, candies, non-dairy products, and more all skyrocketed during the pandemic. Now costs are climbing even higher. This is in addition to increases in rent, energy, payroll, and unemployment insurance taxes — thanks to added COVID-19 recovery assessments placed on all employers. Making ends meet has become extremely difficult for many businesses, including mine.

On top of that, local cities and towns lack understanding about what businesses need to stay afloat and to keep their customers coming back. For example, in Northampton, parking on the street is planned to be reduced by about 50 percent because of added bike paths, even though every survey shows that parking on Main Street is the most important thing to shoppers. Walking from a parking garage is not desirable to some customers. They want to park near their destination. Because of these plans, many businesses will fail.

Businesses’ struggles will continue until inflation can be reduced and business costs can be distributed more evenly. Until then, the public policy response should not be to simply burden small-business owners with additional costs and fees.

Bill Round is a former co-owner of Round’s Hardware in Stoneham.

After 65 years of operation, my family’s hardware store on Main Street in Stoneham shut down in March. Round’s Hardware is liquidated, and the building is sold. My brother and I have retired.

Once we listed our building for sale, many customers asked who would be taking over our business. Traditionally, an established business would be sold to another store owner — in our case, an owner of another hardware store — or to an employee, or a family member. A money-making business with proven performance should have been valuable.

No one came forward with an offer. The business was not seen as profitable enough to justify the effort needed to continue operation. High operating costs and constant regulatory challenges were factors, but some of our challenges are not often recognized.

First, our market had changed. Stoneham was once a blue-collar town where home buyers invested lots of “sweat equity” updating aging homes. Tradespeople applied their skills in their own home repairs. Today’s home buyers might pay $750,000 or more in our market. Often professionally employed, these dual-income couples often have little experience in basic home repair.

Secondly, our biggest competition was no longer big box stores. It was the internet. Thousands of online options are instantly accessible on any cellphone or laptop. Delivery to a customer’s front door is often timed in hours. Convenience is king.

Meanwhile overhead expenses, regulatory compliance, mandated benefits and wages, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance taxes, and local, state, and federal taxes press profit margins to unattractive levels. The long hours needed to ensure any chance of success make it easy to conclude that there are easier ways to make a living.

Until small businesses become less exhausting and more profitable to run, condo conversions will be the likely end for many local small businesses.