How Tariffs Affect Your Friendly Local Game Store
At Swords and Spoons, we love bringing the latest games, cards, and miniatures to our shelves—but recent tariffs are making that harder than ever.
Many board games, TCG products, dice, and accessories are manufactured overseas, especially in China. When tariffs are added to these imports, the cost of getting them into the U.S. goes up—sometimes by 25% or more. That means:
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Higher prices from distributors and publishers
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Fewer restocks of niche or indie games
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Delays and shortages for hot new releases
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Smaller margins for stores like ours trying to keep prices fair
For small businesses, every dollar counts. These added costs don’t just squeeze our profits—they make it harder to host free events, offer discounts, and support our gaming community the way we want to.
You can help.
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Shop local whenever you can. Every purchase helps us weather these challenges and continue to offer a space for games, friends, and fun.
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Reach out to your lawmakers. Let them know how tariffs on hobby and toy imports hurt small businesses and local economies. Ask them to support fair trade policies that don't leave your favorite game store caught in the middle.
Thanks for standing with us and supporting local. Your continued loyalty keeps the dice rolling.
— The Team at Swords and Spoons 🎲
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