{"id":3854,"date":"2026-02-07T12:58:04","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T12:58:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=3854"},"modified":"2026-02-07T12:58:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T12:58:04","slug":"happy-times-at-lush-wine-spirits-if-not-for-tariff-uncertainty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/firearmupgrades.com\/?p=3854","title":{"rendered":"Happy times at Lush Wine & Spirits, if not for tariff uncertainty"},"content":{"rendered":"


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When President Donald Trump moved back into the White House in January 2025, one of Mitch Einhorn\u2019s biggest worries was increased tariffs.<\/p>\n

A year later, the co-owner of Lush Wine & Spirits<\/a> said tariffs are still top of mind.<\/p>\n

Since 2005, Lush has positioned itself as a friendly, accessible wine shop paired with a cozy bistro, with locations in Roscoe Village and West Town. Customers can buy a bottle and uncork it in the restaurant, or they can try a glass with dinner and buy a bottle to take home.<\/p>\n

Menu items range from imported caviar service to sandwiches and seafood. Brunch items include avocado fried egg toast, Georgian cheese bread and brioche French toast.<\/p>\n

With so many imported items, the business is especially vulnerable to the rapid-fire tariffs Trump has announced, then often pulled back, throughout the first year of his second term.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just so arbitrary,\u201d Einhorn, 63, said.<\/p>\n

Since August, U.S. importers of European wines have been paying 15% tariffs. The taxes are typically passed down to consumers in the form of higher prices.<\/p>\n

Last month, Trump threatened 10% tariffs \u2014 rising to 25% by June \u2014 on products from eight European countries unless the U.S. was allowed to purchase Greenland. Shortly after, he threatened 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne after France\u2019s President Emmanuel Macron snubbed an invitation to join Trump\u2019s new Board of Peace, comprised of a group of world leaders, who can pay a $1 billion admission fee for a lifetime membership, with Trump as chairman for as long as he likes.<\/p>\n

The wildly-fluctuating tariffs were heartburn-inducing for Einhorn, who said he had orders in transit from France when the 200% tariff was suggested.<\/p>\n

Within a week, Trump backed off on Greenland-related threats and has stopped mentioning 200% tariffs on French imports. But Einhorn said the unpredictability is harmful. He decided to pause further purchases until things settle down.<\/p>\n

He also worries about people whose livelihoods are connected to imports, such as port workers, truckers and retail employees.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you think about how many hands touch a product, … it impacts a lot of people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Einhorn wonders whether the president realizes the downstream harm that such threats can cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen was the last time he went out to eat and picked up the bill?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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The dining area of Lush Wine & Spirits\u2019 Roscoe Village location.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/p>\n

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Pat Nabong\/Sun-Times file<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Food prices have also been another sore spot over the past year, he said.<\/p>\n

One of Einhorn\u2019s joys is creating new menu items, like the seasoned and poached scrambled eggs for brunch.<\/p>\n

But he said ingredient prices remain high and it puts pressure on him to raise prices, which he doesn\u2019t want to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you fix your pricing of products and services to guests? How do guests afford that?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

One triumph in 2025 was getting a building permit to expand the Roscoe Village location at 2232 W. Roscoe St. Sales there were up by 1% over 2024, while the West Town space, 1412 W. Chicago Ave., saw sales dip by 9%.<\/p>\n

But the Roscoe Village expansion comes with a hurdle \u2014 rising construction costs. Einhorn said he\u2019s working on a math problem: Will increasing its footprint to four storefronts, with a bigger kitchen, more seating and more store shelves, translate to more customers and revenue?<\/p>\n

He said owning a small business comes with hassles but it can also be exhilarating.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s working with a vineyard in Washington that\u2019s producing a white, ros\u00e9 and two red wines exclusively for the store. He\u2019s also working on a longer-term project with a winemaker in France.<\/p>\n

And he\u2019s writing new recipes, as always.<\/p>\n

Einhorn said his goal is to make Lush the best place to buy a bottle and eat a reasonably-priced gourmet meal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you stop learning and doing new stuff, you cease to exist,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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\"Evergreen<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n

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The West Loop-based real estate firm started 2025 with concerns about tariffs and labor but have found that it was able to grow thanks to more work in states like Colorado.<\/p>\n

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