Howard Miller, a nearly century-old furniture and clockmaking company in western Michigan, is closing its doors after 99 years in business.
The company directly blamed tariffs under President Donald Trump’s administration for its downfall, saying the trade policies sent costs soaring and choked demand.
“Our hopes for a market recovery early in the year were quickly dashed as tariffs rattled the supply chain, sparked recession fears and pushed mortgage rates higher,” Howard Miller’s CEO and President, Howard J. “Buzz” Miller, said in a press release earlier this year.
The company’s closure will result in the loss of about 195 jobs, mostly in Michigan. At a recent closeout sale, locals walked through rows of grandfather clocks, curio cabinets, and home bars, some decorated with faux cocktails for staging. Many pieces bore red, white, and blue “Made in Michigan” stickers.
Tariffs and the Cost of Survival
While demand for traditional clocks has slowed, Howard Miller has diversified its product line.
Still, a weaker housing market and rising import costs made it difficult to stay afloat. The tariffs drove up prices on components the company couldn’t source domestically.
“If the federal government had said, ‘Oh, it’s a 10% tariff, constant, this is what it is,’ they might’ve been able to play the game, adjust margins, set pricing,” said Nelson Vandermeer, a product development engineer who’s been with the company more than 30 years. “But no. It’s just chaos.”
Hoekstra’s Shift on Trade Policy
Pete Hoekstra, a longtime Michigan congressman who once warned that tariffs would hurt manufacturers, now defends them as Trump’s ambassador to Canada.
In 2003, Hoekstra testified, “The market should dictate the price of steel, not the government,” adding that tariffs would mean dramatically higher prices, longer lead times for production, and lost jobs.
Today, Hoekstra supports Trump’s tariff strategy, often praising the administration’s trade policies on social media and echoing Trump’s push for “balanced and reciprocal trade relationships.”
This design references the "Leopards Ate My Face" meme which mocks Trump voters who express regret when the Republican policies they voted for come back to hurt them.
Strained Ties With Canada and Export Losses
Michigan’s economic ties with Canada have also been strained under Trump’s second term.
Canada is Michigan’s largest trading partner, but retaliatory tariffs and diplomatic tension have slowed investment and reduced exports. According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture, wheat exports have dropped by 89%, fresh cherries by 62% and fresh apples by 58% compared to last year.
Other companies, like MillerKnoll, Hoekstra’s former employer, also reported lower profits due to tariff costs. The company raised prices and added a surcharge to deal with the higher import costs.
Republicans Reconsider, Democrats Push Back
Rep. Bill Huizenga, who represents the district losing Howard Miller, once criticized Trump’s tariffs, warning in 2018 that they could result in job losses. This year, he supported them.
A spokesperson told ProPublica the economic landscape changed after the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring a reshoring of American manufacturing.
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has said she’s not entirely against tariffs but believes Trump’s approach has caused more harm than good.
She warned that “swinging the tariff hammer hurts us both, damaging supply chains, slowing production lines, and cutting jobs on both sides of the border.”
Workers Reflect on a Difficult Goodbye
Meanwhile, workers in Zeeland are left picking up the pieces.
“I loved my job. I love the people I work with,” Vandermeer said.
“When you love something, it’s tormenting to lose it.”
Howard Miller Vice President of Sales and Marketing James O’Keefe said many locals only recently found out the company was shutting down.
“It is sad,” he said. “Especially when you walk through the quiet factory floor. They used to be running three shifts.”
O’Keefe said he hasn’t lined up his next job yet, but there’s still work to do. The last of the inventory needs to be sold.