Tariffs Put Pressure on Chattanooga Market Vendors

UPDATED:  Chattanooga,TN- (WDEF)On a sunny Sunday afternoon, the Chattanooga Market bustles with the familiar sounds of live music, the scent of fresh food, and the cheerful chatter of shoppers. But behind the colorful displays and warm smiles, many local vendors are quietly grappling with a growing challenge: new tariffs on imported goods are putting serious pressure on small businesses.

For Lin Feagans, owner of Wanderlust and Wolf, the impact is already visible.
“Yeah, they had to be raised because of that,” Feagans explained. “Instead of charging $42 for a gold-filled necklace, I now have to raise them to $50 or $52. It makes it difficult for the average person to afford a nice piece.”

Like many other artisans at the market, Feagans relies on imported materials to create her jewelry. And she’s not alone.

Cassandra Tucker, owner of Divine Purity, shared similar concerns about how tariffs are affecting her products.
“The packaging is made in China,” Tucker said. “The question is, what do we do? Especially since we’re already a luxury brand. There’s only so much we can charge before we price ourselves out of the market. And then what happens to small businesses? We are the meat of the economy. It scares me a lot. I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do.”

Despite the mounting challenges, vendors remain determined to keep their businesses afloat and continue offering unique, handcrafted goods to Chattanooga shoppers. Many say they are doing everything they can to absorb costs where possible and keep prices as fair as they can.

As the sun sets over the Chattanooga Market, the spirit of resilience is just as alive as the sounds of the bustling crowd—though uncertainty lingers i4