A 100-year-old furnishings producer in western Michigan has shut its doorways, citing President Donald Trump’s tariffs as the ultimate blow. The corporate, Howard Miller, employed 195 individuals.
“In recent years, a convergence of market influences beyond our control brought us to this point. Furniture sales are closely linked to the health of the housing market, which is struggling,” the corporate’s CEO, Howard J. “Buzz” Miller, stated in a press release saying the closing of his Zeeland-based firm. “Our hopes for a market recovery early in the year were quickly dashed as tariffs rattled the supply chain, sparked recession fears and pushed mortgage rates higher. The furniture industry continues to shed jobs and announce plant closings.”
Miller added: “This has been compounded by inflation and rising interest rates. Our business has been directly impacted by tariffs that have increased the cost of essential components unavailable domestically and driven specialty suppliers out of business, making it unsustainable for us to continue our operations.”
Sure, the corporate was already dealing with headwinds, however Trump’s tariffs and the broader chaos of his financial insurance policies drove the stake by its coronary heart.
The punchline, although not in a humorous approach, is that Ottawa County, Michigan, dwelling to the corporate, voted 60–39 for Trump. Zeeland, the place the corporate relies, sits in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, which backed Republican Rep. Invoice Huizenga by a 65–33 margin.
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Requested in March by reporters concerning the native financial ache his celebration’s insurance policies would possibly inflict, Huizenga stated, “Is there going to be some adjustments to that? Absolutely. Is it going to be easy? Not necessarily. Is it the right thing to do? Absolutely it is.”
So, all good, Zeeland! That is simply an “adjustment.” And when you’re on the lookout for a social security web to cushion the blow, don’t look to Huizenga—he proudly voted for Trump’s billionaire-rewarding “One Big, Beautiful Tax Bill.”
Voting has penalties.
