This family business paid $200,000 in tariffs last year, but won’t cut corners

La Tienda has been delivering the best of Spanish cuisine to Americans for three decades, but the task has become more expensive after President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Last year, La Tienda paid about $200,000 in import taxes, said Jonathan Harris, a second-generation member of the Virginia-based family business.

“That’s hard for a small business like ours,” Harris told The Center Square. “We really focus on the highest-quality products.”

Switching to lower-quality products to save money wasn’t an option, Harris said.

“These tariffs have made us less competitive, so we really have to focus on service and make sure that every product is delighting our customers,” he said.

Trump’s tariffs, including at least 10% on imported goods from all trading partners and up to 15% on Spanish imports, added up for La Tienda, which works with 80 different vendors in Spain.

“It’s been a year of shocks,” Harris said.

The origins of La Tienda trace back ...