Abilene business adjusts prices as tariffs take effect

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – As you enter the production area of Circle 66 Outfitters, the smell of ink hits you, accompanied by the sounds of embroidery and pressing. Now, when customers walk in, they will also be greeted with a different price tag on their products.

This is due to tariffs that President Donald Trump enacted on goods coming into the United States from other countries. Owner of Circle 66 Outfitters, Steven Freeman, said he was expecting to see the effects sooner or later.

“We have sent a majority of our textile manufacturing overseas. Because of that, we’re going to get to pay a little bit extra for it now,” Freeman said. “Companies that we deal with as a majority are not going to be eating the tariffs. They’re going to pass them on. So we’re going to do the same in turn. As a business owner, I can’t afford to eat a 10% loss because of a tariff.”

Economics Professor John Hill at Hardin-Simmons University told KTAB/KRBC that, overall, the community can expect prices to rise for most goods.

“When we have taxes on individual goods, we can expect to pay more. There’s going to be a change in behavior. As that happens, people are going to start buying less goods. That’s really one of the things you historically want from tariffs,” Hill explained.

As far as the light at the end of the tunnel, Hill said this is a time of uncertainty for many.

“I really don’t know what’s going to happen. I think that’s the biggest problem with the discourse that’s going on at the national level about tariffs and everything that goes along with it is that we don’t know,” Hill said.

Freeman, after about 20 years of business, said he wants his customers to know this obstacle is not too big to work around.

“Increases happen, price increases happen,” Freeman said. “You’re not paying the same for gas that you were ten years ago. Most of the stuff that I’m saying is going to be a 10% or less increase in price, which isn’t huge.”

Circle 66 Outfitters said they will start increasing prices in June 2025.