Trump merchandise stores are closing: 'He has peaked'

BENSALEM, Pa. – When the Trump merchandise store here announced it was closing earlier this year, Wes Alker, a Trump superfan and retired auto mechanic, came by for some nostalgia and the going-out-of-business deals. They included everything from "Trump Won" caps for $9.99 to Trump pool floats for $19.99.

Trump stores first emerged during the 2016 campaign. But with the president now in his second and final term, store owners say there isn't as much to fire up the consumer fan base and sales have softened.

At least four stores have closed this year. The MAGA Mall, a big online retailer and wholesaler, reports sales of MAGA gear are down 30% compared to a presidential election year when Trump is on the ballot.

"He's no longer a viable business model for entrepreneurs because he has peaked," said Alker, who wore a gray T-shirt with a photo of former President Joe Biden and former Vice-President Kamala Harris which read, "Dumb and Dumber."

Trump's lame duck status isn't the only drag on demand. When the Bensalem store closed – it still maintains an online presence – Trump's average approval rating had already fallen from 50 % when he took office to 44 %.

Nine months later, when Bill Hays shut down his Trump super store outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, the president's approval rating had fallen five more points.

Hays said unpopular policies – such as DOGE's massive government staff cuts – have had an impact. He noticed that instead of immediately putting on their new Trump gear, more buyers asked for bags.

"People were not wearing their colors, so to speak, like they did before the (2024) election," said Hays, 80.

When Hays opened his store in April 2024, business boomed. One day, he said, there was a line of 80 people out the door and sales hit $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 that their job was done," said Hays. "They didn't have to promote MAGA or Trump."

Hays still has a Trump store in the Tennessee tourist town of Gatlinburg. He's waiting to see how Christmas sales go before deciding its future.

Trump stores are a phenomenon. Other charismatic presidents such as Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama developed ardent followings, but didn't inspire brick-and-mortar merch outlets in red and blue states. Hays says Trump created such demand because he's a salesman - and he tells people what they want to hear.

Ron Solomon, president of the MAGA Mall, says there are about 20 stores that specialize in Trump merchandise still in operation.

In Myrtle Beach, Rick Kligman sells items out of two stores, but he's trying to get rid of older material, stuffing $40 worth of merchandise into a grab bag that he sells for $9.99. He's concerned about the mid-terms and thinks a Democratic sweep of the House and Senate could turn off the more casual Trump consumer.

"I don't want to be sitting holding thousands and thousands of dollars of Trump merchandise and absolutely no possibility of selling it," said Kligman, 69.

Given term limits and Trump's age, retailers are diversifying beyond the Trump brand and embracing more patriotic products, including hats that say "We the People."

Solomon says this is a natural progression.

Eventually, Trump will leave the national stage. Unless a family member picks up the mantle, Solomon says the Trump merchandise business "will fade away."

Research by NPR's Susie Cummings.