KC area furniture store will close over tariffs. ‘Nobody can afford that’
Henrik Svendsen isn’t optimistic about the future of local furniture stores. At least, not if things don’t change.
His lease is up Aug. 1, which is when Svendsen will close his store. As he winds down My Home Contemporary Furniture, a 45,000-square-foot store at 5400 Antioch Drive in Merriam, he’s been sounding the alarm on rising prices because of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
He’s appeared on CNN and MSNBC to speak about the 145% furniture tariffs.
“Nobody can afford that,” Svendsen told The Star on Monday. Not the local guys like him, anyway. Svendsen said the vast majority of his furniture is imported.
Two months ago, his Merriam furniture store and many other U.S. businesses were hit with a 25% tariff on all goods imported from China. Six weeks ago, an additional 20% was added. Last week, Svendsen learned of the tariffs hitting their new high at 145% altogether.
“I sell furniture from China and Mexico and Thailand …” he said. “It has a big effect on everybody.”
My Home has been open for four years. Before Svendsen opened his store, he sold furniture from foreign factories to other furniture stores.
Svendsen said American-made furniture is often more expensive and of a lower quality. He can’t imagine the U.S. becoming a hub for furniture manufacturing, though Trump administration has said tariffs on foreign goods will spur domestic production.
“There’s nobody who wants to work in the furniture factory,” he said.
More than half of the U.S.’ furniture is imported, according to an article from the Washington Post, though even companies that build furniture domestically will be affected. Much of the nuts, bolts and fabric required to create the furniture are also imported.
Raising the prices to meet their cost post-tariffs is an option, though Svendsen thinks customers won’t pay that much.
Perhaps businesses like Walmart and Ikea can afford to wait it out. Not Svendsen.
“I can’t take that risk and sign a lease long term with what’s going on with tariffs right now,” he said. “The biggest problem right now is the uncertainty. Nobody knows.”
Svendsen isn’t ordering any new furniture, but he’s selling the rest of his inventory for a reduced price.
“People are gonna need furniture, and yes, the 1% can afford paying $10,000 for a sofa, but it’s still the other 99% that are the regular-day customer.”
Last month, Kansas City, Kansas, business Fat Daddy’s Furniture closed at 1211 Southwest Blvd.
This story was originally published April 15, 2025 at 5:00 AM.