LEWISTON, NY (WLBW) — Businesses are getting caught in the crossfire of President Trump's ongoing trade war with Canada.
Niagara County is getting hit at various businesses and venues. Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls experienced a 30 percent drop in foot traffic. The Aquarium of Niagara is experiencing an 18 percent attendance dip. However, Artpark and some businesses in Lewiston are experiencing an even greater decline.
No one has a better pulse on Canadian customers than Kathy Pignatora, owner and artist of Inspirations on Canvas in the Village of Lewiston. She is also Canadian.
“We're just so connected, I hate seeing this divide, I wish we could repair that," said Pignatora.
WATCH: 'I hate seeing this divide': Lewiston businesses see drop in Canadian visitors
Since March, she has been witnessing a big dip in her Canadian clients.
"I’ve counted about 27 Canadians in my shop since March; that's pretty unheard of,” said Pignatora. "That would be like a day or two that I would see, so it breaks my heart being from Canada."
“Does it hurt your bottom line?” I asked.
“I would say yes,” answered Pignatora.
Canadians have been most outraged with President Trump stating he wants to make Canada a 51st state, along with a 35 percent tariff on the country.
"What really struck me is the beautiful letters I started getting from Canadians, and they said, 'We want you to know it's not about you, and we love Artpark. We love Lewiston, and we come and visit every year, but we just feel like we need to take a stand,'” said Artpark President Dave Wedekindt.
Wedekindt said the entertainment venue generates a $13 million economic impact for Lewiston, with nearly 15 percent of Artpark’s audience coming from Canada.
"It's all of the people stopping for a drink or dinner before the show, hitting the shops, going out for a nightcap afterwards,” Wedekindt explained.
But now Artpark is experiencing a 60 percent loss of its Canadian audience this season.
"It's huge," Wedekindt said. "And for an organization like Artpark that does all of our business between late May and early September, it's hard to bounce back from that.”
“How do you financially make up for that loss?” I asked.
“We'll have to look at some things in the off-season and look at planning ahead to next year," responded Wedekindt. "It could affect, you know, I’m assuming this might continue. We must prepare for that. Next summer could look very similar. Hopefully, things will change, but you must be prepared."
The Artpark leader said they’re even more concerned about when the third quarter numbers come out, which could show an even bigger drop for these businesses.
For now, both the shop owner and Artpark leader have a message for Canadians.
“I just discovered there's really nothing that we can say that can begin and change any of that, other than so our approach has just been, we love you guys. We welcome you back when the time is right,” Wedekindt commented.
“I hope that they come back soon. We're all friends and family, you know, we're a border town, and we're all related. We know each other," said Pignatora.
