On a sweltering afternoon last month, Reuben Neri Cardenas swept the front of his Bakersfield business on an otherwise quiet downtown block. Inside, rows of fedora hats, lowrider bike accessories and ’90s retro clothing sat untouched.
His clothing and accessory store, an ode to Chicano culture, had operated through online sales for more than two decades. Four years ago, Cardenas decided to rent out a modest storefront in downtown Bakersfield.
Business boomed for the most part, he said. But in the last year and half, the national economic strife has plagued his store. His rent increased, tariffs made imported goods more expensive and customers are buying less. Cardenas estimated his sales have fallen about 70% since the summer of 2025…