a study conducted by the Oklahoma-based Independent Shopkeepers Association (ISA).
Cléo Nash, executive director of ISA, delivered the key findings Wednesday during a meeting hosted by PartnerTulsa. Nash highlighted tariffs, inflation and slower sale returns as the primary concerns for independent businesses owners in Oklahoma.
“On one hand, we have local retailers that are outperforming national chains on many metrics,” Nash said. On the other hand, she said, it was a year that came with a lot of financial pressures. That led a lot of business owners to struggle with growth and hiring.
She said in the first six months of 2025, independent retailers saw 6.2% growth from the year before. That’s down from 12.98% growth during the same time period in 2024 and the slowest since 2020.
About 70 to 80 of ISA’s members and other in-state local retailers participated in the organization’s annual “Shop Census.” The survey aims to get a better understanding of specific needs and challenges.
“Three out of four (respondents) said they were negatively impacted by tariffs,” Nash said. “Some of the stories we heard all year round were, ‘My supplier won’t ship to the U.S. anymore,’ so then you’re having to shift the way you’ve been operating for years.”
President Donald Trump imposed a flurry of tariffs on Mexican, Canadian and Chinese imports early in his second term. The trade policies sparked retaliatory efforts from foreign countries leading to increases in prices for several U.S. suppliers.
The most frustrating part of the tariff situation, according to the businesses in the study, were how unpredictable they were. Most found themselves increasing prices just to stay afloat.
“We had 90% of (businesses) who said that they increased their prices,” Nash said. “When a small business is increasing prices, it’s not for profit, it’s for survival.”
The study states that shops are working harder, and selling more, but are often taking home less. These slim margins have always been the reality of local retail, the study found, but 2025 has shown how fragile this model has become.
Despite the concerns around operating costs, employees’ wages continued to climb during the study period, rising faster than sales growth. In metro areas, the average hourly wage increased to $17.77, up from $16.32 in 2024. Rural wages saw an even sharper jump, reaching $15.72 compared to $13.00 last year.
Looking to the future, Nash said 2026 comes with a lot of unknowns. But it’s crucial that sales go up or expenses go down if local businesses are to continue to see positive growth and sustainability.
ISA members pay $300 to access assistance in business management, networking and advocacy. The only requirement is to be independently owned and live in Oklahoma.
Among the respondents, about 27% have been open three to five years while 23% have been operating for more than 15 years. Almost 19% of shops have been open for six to nine years.
Ismael Lele is a Report for America corps member and writes about business in Tulsa for The Oklahoma Eagle. Your donation to match our Report for America grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting this link.
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