The Trump Store in Bucks County reopened as a ‘life-sustaining’ business by selling Trump face masks

The store, which peddles Trump-branded T-shirts, hats, pen sets, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, and magnets, is also selling two kinds of gloves and containers of bleach.

Michael Domanico (right), owner of Trump Store, and his wife, Monica Domanico, during their grand opening in Bensalem in February.Read moreTyger Williams / File Photograph

by Chris Brennan

Published May 15, 2020, 5:00 a.m. ET

The Trump Store, which started as a kiosk in the Neshaminy Mall last year and blossomed into a Bensalem strip-mall storefront in February, now serves as a rally point for Andy Meehan, a Bucks County Republican trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick in the June 2 primary.

Owner Mike Domanico said he reopened his store Saturday, despite a ban on clothing and accessory shops operating during the coronavirus pandemic. That ban exempts “life-sustaining businesses” that sell “uniforms and accessories/supplies for public safety and health care professionals.”

Domanico said he side-stepped the ban by producing and selling non-medical-grade cloth face masks and bandannas emblazoned with President Donald Trump’s name. His store, which peddles Trump-branded T-shirts, hats, pen sets, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, and magnets, is also selling two kinds of gloves and containers of bleach.

“I’m going with that so I’m allowed to be open,” he said. “No problems so far.”

Dominique Lockett, a spokesperson for the state Department of Community and Economic Development, said The Trump Store did not apply for or receive an exemption as a “life-sustaining" retail store, and that her agency would have needed to review any “justification" for reopening.

And any non-life-sustaining sales at the business — like all those Trump t-shirts — would still be prohibited.

“In general, retail operations may not be open unless they have an exemption from DCED for life-sustaining activities," Lockett told Clout.

Meehan, in a campaign email Wednesday, declared “The Trump Store and Meehan for Congress are reopening Pennsylvania!” He plans a rally at the store at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and told Clout the events are good both for his campaign and Domanico’s business.

“It’s like a little fantasy-land," Meehan said. "All the Trumpsters show up.”

Domanico, who has endorsed Meehan, said a rally last weekend showed Meehan was popular with his customers.

“He draws, not a large crowd, but a pretty good amount of people,” Domanico said. 'There were 40 or 50 people here."