Trump store in battleground Pennsylvania closing because it’s ‘run its course’

The Trump Store — one of the few things bearing President Donald Trump’s name that he doesn't own — near Philadelphia is closing its doors, saying the presidential merch shop has "kind of run its course."

The store, located in the Philadelphia suburb of Bensalem, announced that it will be closing this year in a Facebook post. The Trump Store was open for six years, and sold fans of the president hats, shirts, and other items bearing his name.

Owner Mike Domanico told the Associated Press on Tuesday that he is closing the store because he's busy focusing on another business and selling firearm targets at gun shows. He also said that he is semi-retired, and noted that business has slowed down.

"The store has kind of run its course," he said. "You know, it's been six years and the elections are over. Trump's not gonna be in another election, even though he'll be part of it."

Despite acknowledging that Trump isn't going to be running in another presidential election, the Trump Store does carry "Trump 2028" merchandise. Trump is constitutionally barred from running again in 2028, though his former advisor, Steve Bannon, has insisted there are plans in the works to keep Trump in the White House beyond 2028.

When asked about the Trump 2028 merchandise, Domanico wrote it off as trolling.

"That's just to get people riled up," he told the AP.

Domanico doesn't seem averse to trying to rile people up. He announced that his store-wide sale marking the impending closure of the store would begin on January 6 — the fifth anniversary of the Capitol riot that led to Trump's second impeachment.

He's also used his company's' Facebook page to call for a Bruce Springsteen boycott after the singer criticized Trump, and to share images of former Trump staffer Sebastian Gorka visiting the store.

According to the store’s Facebook page, its final operating day will be on January 31.

The Trump Store, born from passionate political opinions, received its fair share of them in response to its closure announcement.

One poster asked "are you no longer winning?"

Another said "Trump must be doing wonders for the economy."

Domanico said he did not let the comments get to him.

"No matter what the president does, they hate him no matter how good anything is," he said.

Dave Russel, an 81-year-old longtime Trump supporter, told the AP in an interview that he had bought a Trump for Veterans hat from the Trump Store in 2020, and said he wasn't surprised to see the retailer closing.

"Because most of the stuff they sell was to promote Trump. He's already in this last term. You can't do much more for him than he's already gotten," Russel told the outlet.

The Trump Store is in Bucks County, a hotly contested part of Pennsylvania. Trump narrowly won the county in 2024 when he ran against then-Vice President Kamala Harris.