President Donald Trump is threatening to impose a 50% tariff on Brazil, the world’s largest coffee producer and the source of 30% of U.S. coffee imports.

Businesses and manufacturing are starting to feel the impact of steel and aluminum tariffs that took effect Wednesday. The Trump administration is putting a 50% tax on these metals when they’re imported from other countries.

The Hair Braiding Opportunity Act would have amended the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985 to strike a 300-hour training requirement, $30 initial licensing fee and $5,000 penalty for practicing without a license for hair braiders.

Laura Gardner, owner of Local Style Potato Chips, set out to combine her love of potato chips and Chicago foods to make the ultimate snack.

When Danielle Moore started Semicolon Books in West Town in 2019, business was slow — until the social justice movement after George Floyd’s murder in May 2020 launched her store into the spotlight as Black businesses and books gained national attention.

The U.S.-China trade war has been ratcheting up for nearly a month now. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on almost all U.S. trading partners April 2 in what he declared “Liberation Day,” with China becoming the main target.

The event, “Spend in the Black: Resurrecting the Black Dollar” will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 75th Street and King Drive. The purpose of the event is to redirect collective economic power into local communities, according to event organizers.

Analog communication is having a moment, ironically thanks to digital platforms where people share product info and connect over their shared love of stationery.

The U.S. president has shown few signs of backing down on tariffs despite the mounting pressure in the financial markets. His commitment to tariffs could have devastating effects for the global economy, even though Trump is banking that it will ultimately pay off with manufacturing jobs.

Supporters of the ban said it would strike a necessary blow against animal cruelty, while opponents said it would harm Chicago businesses.

The Small Business Administration is relocating its regional Chicago office, as well as those in five other metropolitan cities. Local SBAs are tasked with providing funding, education and resources to small business owners, operating as a lifeline to both aspiring business owners and longtime entrepreneurs.

In a statement Thursday, SBA administrator Kelly Loeffler said offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City and Seattle will be relocated to “less costly, more accessible locations that better serve the small business community and comply with federal immigration law.”

Come Fat Tuesday every year, “Paczki Day” is celebrated across Chicago and the Midwest, and the doughnuts are recognized as a symbol of Polish culture and pride.

The U.S. restaurant industry relies on the labor of undocumented immigrants. But in the wake of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation orders, some Illinois restaurant owners are raising concerns.

Latino neighborhoods in Chicago are on edge amid increased reports of immigration raids by federal law enforcement agents.

Many in the hemp industry said not everyone in the hemp space uses deceitful and dangerous practices, and that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s approach will kill their responsible businesses along with the bad actors.