Latest news with #TheLearningTree
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas toy store owners working to solve economic puzzle of Trump's tariff blitz
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, discusses implications of President Donald Trump's imposition of new tariffs on imports with Brett Goodwin, center, and Alan Tipton, owners of The Learning Tree toy store in Prairie Village. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) PRAIRIE VILLAGE — Learning Tree toy store owners Brett Goodwin and Alan Tipton aren't playing around when it comes to dealing with availability and cost spikes on imported merchandise amid President Donald Trump's trade war anchored by higher tariffs against China and other key supply-chain countries. Stocking shelves with wonder wands, superhero costumes, brain teasers, kites, stuffed animals, garter snake finger puppets, luminescent love bracelets, puzzles, robots and, of course, books — it all comes from about 200 vendors — became more complex when Trump flexed executive authority to impose, withdraw and double down on import taxes. The president targeted China, which is the source of 80% of toys sold in the United States. 'Ever since the announcement was made we have had to kind of rush to secure stock, and we are lucky that we can,' Goodwin said. On Wednesday, Tipton and Goodwin said their response to tariffs was to purchase extra merchandise and make business commitments earlier than normal in an attempt to build warehouse stock. In some instances, the store ordered an item at a certain price and when it arrived the updated price was higher. Some invoices contained a line at the bottom indicating the inclusion of a tariff surcharge of 10%. Tipton said consumer interest in toy store merchandise remained solid despite the potential influence of tariffs on purchasing behavior. One Learning Tree customer did reveal a strategy of doing Christmas shopping this spring, but that didn't appear to be a trend — so far. 'Right now, business is good. People are spending,' he said. Goodwin said supply-chain turmoil would have warranted some introspection if it occurred two years ago when he and Tipton were working toward purchase of the established store in Johnson County. 'That would make me nervous,' Goodwin said. Goodwin and Tipton gave U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, a tour of the store that included the basement storage area packed with stuffed animals. The congresswoman said she wanted to learn firsthand how small businesses responded to Trump's tariffs. Her hosts said Congress should pass a tariff exemption for toys. 'We're firm believers that, you know, anything can be a toy and a learning experience,' Tipton said. 'Even things like Legos that people think of as just plastic toys, but they're not. They're immersive toys that take kids to a different place.' Last month, Davids received a letter from Goodwin echoing the American Specialty Toy Retailer Association's concern regarding tariffs and the impact they'd have on small businesses and consumer prices. Davids said she was alarmed Trump asserted U.S. children should become accustomed to owning two dolls rather than 30 if tariffs increased store prices. Trump temporarily reduced the U.S. tariff on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%. 'The bigger picture thing that I would probably take issue with around that statement is that it's not the kids who already have 30 toys, right, that are going to lose out,' Davids said. 'It'll be the kids who have two right now and might not get anything new because people are already stretched so thin.' She said there was no question children in the United States were at the mercy of tariffs in terms of birthday or holiday gifts. 'We talk about toys like they're … not that important. But for the development of kids, toys are a huge aspect of how we learn and grow,' she said. Davids said the United States had an opportunity to expand domestic manufacturing, but the president's 'on-again, off-again, tumultuous, reckless approach' to international trade wasn't helping businesses make strategic decisions about business expansion.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chris Jericho is disappointed, and he's leaving
Sunday night at Dynasty, The Learning Tree's Big Bill and Bryan Keith were unable to beat AEW Tag Team champions The Hurt Syndicate for their belts. Later in the night, Bill & Keith's sensei Chris Jericho lost the Ring of Honor World championship to Bandido in a title vs. mask match. Advertisement Jericho hosted an edition of his TV Time talk-show-within-the show on Dynamite tonight (April 9). He congratulated Bandido, then brought out his students. Based on how things have been going within the group for the past several weeks, Bill issued an ultimatum to Jericho... if he was actually going to teach them, the seven-footer would stay and listen. But if the nine-time World champ was going to berate them, Bill was going to leave. After grilling the Bounty Hunter to see if he felt the same way, Jericho told the pair that he wasn't angry. Instead, he pulled a trick known to dads everywhere and told them he was 'disappointed'. Jericho did a poor job masking his anger through, and proceeded to destroy the set. He then said that until that changes, it's best that he leave. Then he did. And he kept on leaving, and smashing things on his way out. Advertisement How long will he take off to get un-disappointed? How loud will the pop be when Bill finally clocks him? Weigh in below, and get complete results from tonight's episode of Dynamite here. More from
