DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Inside Uncle’s Auto on Fayetteville Street in Durham, Keith Edwards tries his best not to get too engulfed in the ongoing changes coming from Washington.
“Because I don’t want the stress,” Edwards laughed. “I just come in and work.”
The shop has been open for nearly 70 years at the same location during 13 presidencies. That means this is not the first time ownership has had to deal with domestic and foreign relations that affect business.
“Whatever’s gonna happen is gonna happen. That’s how I look at it. Customers are still going to need their cars fixed,” said Edwards.
On Monday, the U.S. and China agreed to cut reciprocal tariffs for 90 days.
In a news release, the United States and China are “recognizing the importance of a sustainable, long-term, and mutually beneficial economic and trade relationship.”
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Edwards, meanwhile, said he is focused on providing quality service and managing his bottom line as best as he can.
He said many customers are buying their car parts online and bringing them to him to install, which means he misses out on the profit on car parts.
“I still got the labor out of it. And I got a new customer,” said Edwards. Some things you can’t just buy off the internet. It won’t work.”
He doesn’t buy parts in bulk because he doesn’t have the storage at the auto shop, and because different cars call for different versions of similar parts.
However, if he could, he would.
“I would just stock it up. Because I know the prices are going to keep going, and I can still have low prices for my customers,” said Edwards.
What remains unknown is the state of U.S. and Chinese trade relations once the 90-day reciprocal agreement expires.
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