The Trump Store in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, closed its doors earlier this year due to declining sales.
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BENSALEM, Pa. — When the Trump Merchandise Store announced it was closing earlier this year, Wes Alker, a Trump superfan and retired auto mechanic, came in for a little nostalgia and some going-out-of-business business. They included everything from “Trump Won” caps for $9.99 to Trump pool floats for $19.99.
Trump stores first popped up during the 2016 campaign. But with the president now in his second and final term, store owners say there’s little to ignite the consumer fan base and sales have slowed.
At least four stores have closed their doors this year. THE MAGA Shopping Centera major online retailer and wholesaler, reports that sales of MAGA gear are down 30% compared to a presidential election year where Trump is on the ballot.
Trump fans Wes Alker and Joseph Flanagan pose during a going-out-of-business sale at a Trump store in suburban Philadelphia. Flanagan lives nearby and said he has visited the store more than 25 times.
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“It’s no longer a viable business model for entrepreneurs because it’s peaked,” said Alker, who wore a gray T-shirt with a photo of former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris that read “Dumb and Dumber.”
Trump’s lame duck status isn’t the only drag on demand. When the Bensalem store closed – he still maintains an online presence – Trump’s average approval rating had already fallen from 50% when taking office at age 44 %.
Nine months later, when Bill Hays closed his Trump super store outside Knoxville, Tennessee, the president’s approval rating had dropped another five points.
This Trump store in a suburban Philadelphia mall is one of at least four stores that have closed this year as the president’s retail appeal has waned.
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Hays said unpopular policies – such as DOGE’s massive government staff cuts – have had an impact. He noticed that instead of immediately donning their new Trump gear, more and more shoppers were asking for bags.
“People weren’t wearing their colors, so to speak, like they were before the (2024) election,” Hays, 80, said.
Trump products are big business. The MAGA Mall, a retailer and wholesaler, sells more than 1,000 MAGA, patriotic and religious products, including 400 different types of hats.
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When Hays opened its store in April 2024, business was booming. One day, he said, there was a line of 80 people out the door and sales were reaching $200,000 a month. By the time it closed in September, sales had fallen to just $20,000 a month.
“After the inauguration, I think a lot of people felt their job was done,” Hays said. “They didn’t have to promote MAGA or Trump.”
Hays still owns a Trump store in the tourist town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. He is waiting to see how Christmas sales go before deciding his future.
Trump stores are a phenomenon. Other charismatic presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama developed fervent supporters, but did not inspire physical retail outlets in red and blue states. Hays says Trump has created such demand because he’s a salesman — and he tells people what they want to hear.
The Trump Store in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, sold a wide variety of products before closing its doors earlier this year. Items included an “Alligator Alcatraz” t-shirt, “Trump Won” caps and this patriotic Trump bear. The store continues to sell online.
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Ron Solomon, president of the MAGA Mall, says about 20 stores specializing in Trump merchandise are still in business.
In Myrtle Beach, Rick Kligman sells items at two stores, but he’s trying to get rid of older equipment, stuffing $40 worth of merchandise in a purse that he sells for $9.99. He worries about the midterms and thinks a Democratic victory in the House and Senate could turn off more casual Trump consumers.
“I don’t want to sit there with thousands and thousands of dollars of Trump products and absolutely no opportunity to sell them,” Kligman, 69, said.
Given Trump’s term limits and age, retailers are branching out beyond Trump branding and adopting more patriotic products, including hats that read “We the People.”
Solomon says it’s a natural progression.
Eventually, Trump will leave the national stage. Unless a family member takes over, Solomon says the Trump merchandise business “is going to disappear.”
Research by NPR’s Susie Cummings.
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