Toy store joins lawsuit against President Trump’s tariffs

WCCO

By Kirsten Mitchell

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    ST. PAUL, Minnesota (WCCO) — A family-owned toy store in St. Paul is joining a national legal fight, claiming President Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports could devastate their business.

Mischief Toy Store is among several businesses represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation in a lawsuit that argues the 145% tariff on Chinese goods is “unlawful and unconstitutional.”

The suit specifically challenges the government’s justification, stating the fentanyl crisis does not meet the threshold for invoking emergency powers and that only Congress has the authority to impose such tariffs.

“We have never sued anyone for any reason,” said Abigail Adelsheim-Marshall, co-owner of Mischief. “The president seemed like an interesting place to start.”

The toy store says it imports about 85% of its products from China. Owners say that under the proposed tariff, an item that used to cost them $10 could soon cost $25.

“It’s going to have to mostly be passed onto the consumer, there’s no way around that,” Adelsheim-Marshall said.

The store is now stockpiling inventory in an attempt to avoid future price hikes and keep products affordable for customers.

“Some people are raising prices across the board in their stores already. Some, like we’re doing, are trying to buy in bulk. Some who are on the end of closing are closing their doors,” she said.

While they support the idea of more American-made toys, Adelsheim-Marshall says the infrastructure simply doesn’t exist.

“‘Root’ is one of our most popular games. It’s designed by a company here in Minnesota, but it’s made in China because all board games are made in China,” she said.

The lawsuit also includes a board game company, Stonemaier Games, that says it’s facing nearly $1.5 million in upcoming tariff payments.

After nearly a decade in business, the owners of Mischief Toy Store say this legal battle is about more than policy, it’s about survival.

“It’s going to be a seismic shift for all of us,” Adelsheim-Marshall said.

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