Tariffs push board game importer to test U.S. manufacturing, revealing steep hurdles

Jonathan Silva, an importer of Monopoly board games, set out to see if he could produce a version of the game in the United States after tariffs hit his imported stock. Georgia Public Broadcasting and NPR both reported on his experiment, which highlighted the challenges of reshoring production.

2 sources

Georgia Public BroadcastingWhat a Monopoly importer learned when it tried to make things in the U.S.A.NPRWhat a Monopoly importer learned when it tried to make things in the U.S.A.

"After getting hit with tariffs for the imported board games he sells, Jonathan Silva decided to see if he could produce a version of his Monopoly game in the United States."

The importer's effort to shift manufacturing to American soil offers a real-world case study of the obstacles U.S. businesses face when attempting to move supply chains home. The report from both outlets detailed what he learned during the process, though specific cost figures or outcomes were not included in the brief provided.

NPR similarly covered Silva's journey, underscoring that even a well-known product like Monopoly is not easily made in the U.S. under current economic conditions. The coverage suggests that tariffs alone may not be enough to quickly revive domestic manufacturing for many goods.