Tariff ‘gloom and doom’ for Atlanta wine seller
Sarah Pierre was in Germany for a wine industry trade show last month, but the atmosphere was not festive.
President Donald Trump had just threatened 200% tariffs on European wine as part of an escalating trade war. Pierre and thousands of other wine industry representatives were stunned. A 200% tariff would cripple businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, she said.
“It was terrifying,” she remembered. “It was doom and gloom.”
Trump later reduced his proposed tariffs to 20%, and even those are on hold for 90 days. But a 10% tariff on almost all imported goods remains in effect.
Pierre’s unease also has lingered.
She opened 3 Parks Wine Shop in 2013 and has locations in Atlanta’s Glenwood Park and Old Fourth Ward. She and 11 employees sell wines from across Europe, the United States and elsewhere. She is one of about 47,000 wine retailers across the United States who employ about 200,000 people, according to the National Association of Wine Retailers.
Pierre caters to casual drinkers as well as to wine aficionados. She loves the business but said “the margins aren’t that high.”
That’s why even a 10% tariff will hurt.
Pierre hasn’t seen the effects yet. Anticipating Trump’s move, she said wine importers and local distributors stocked up.
But those stocks will dwindle over the next few months. And with talk of a recession, Pierre said some customers are already cutting back. Someone who might have bought a $75 wine is now spending $50 or $25.
Georgians react
To gauge the effects of the administration’s first 100 days, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution spoke with residents who have lived with the results. Amid a blitz of executive orders, tariffs, lawsuits, layoffs and funding cuts, they’re exhausted, thrilled, scared, hopeful. Here are their stories:
An Emory research study on Alzheimer’s comes to abrupt halt
Shrimp boat owner hopes tariffs will revive local fishermen
From hopeful foster mom to unemployed CDC worker
Pardoned Jan. 6 defendant wants Democrats punished
Her husband was arrested by immigration agents
DEI rollbacks threaten Atlanta woman’s work
Tariff ‘gloom and doom’ for Atlanta wine seller
Atlanta entrepreneur steers clients through trade war
AJC poll: Trump’s support sinks in Georgia as economic fears rise
“Anyone paying attention is being a little tighter than they have been,” she said.
Pierre said the industry can absorb 10% tariffs. Winemakers, importers, distributors and retailers like her can each take a little hit.
But the threat of larger tariffs remains, and other countries are already retaliating. Canada, the top export market for U.S. wine, has stopped selling it. That hurts American wineries and distributors, Pierre said.
“Nothing about (wine tariffs) benefits us in America,” she said. “Not one bit.”
More coverage of Trump’s effects on Georgia
The first 100 days: Georgians are scared, thrilled about changes
CDC cuts factor into Georgia Senate race
More logging in Georgia’s national forests? It’s possible under a new directive
After layoffs, federal employees navigate uncertain job market
Afraid of church: Some immigrant faithful stay away on Sunday
Georgia protests show growing resistance against Trump administration
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
