Owner of Chicago's Momentum Coffee worries about tariffs, possible recession
A local small business owner on Thursday sounded the alarm about the dual threat of tariffs and a looming possible federal government shutdown.
Nikki Bravo is the owner of Momentum Coffee, which has six locations in Chicago. CBS News Chicago has featured Momentum Coffee several times, most recently when Bravo and her husband, Tracy Powell, were preparing for an influx of customers during the Democratic National Convention last summer while calling attention to National Black Business Month.
CBS News Chicago checked in with Bravo on Wednesday to see how she was doing with the uncertainty in the market.
She said she is already feeling the pinch.
"We, as coffee shop in Chicago, are like many other small businesses — working on very slim margins, OK?" Bravo said. "And so any blip, any shutdown that has lenders tightening up, consumers not spending dollars, impacts our ability to continue to do our business."
Bravo said she worries she will have to lay off some workers if there is a long-term economic downturn.
