TRUMP DUMP

Trump Superstore Owner Reveals Embarrassing Reason He’s Closing

Its owner and staff are finally admitting the painful truth behind the sudden liquidation.

A sprawling roadside Trump Superstore is closing down, and its leadership has finally admitted the real reason why.

The high-profile retail store along Interstate 40 near Knoxville, Tennessee, has been impossible to miss for drivers passing by since its opening in April 2024. Featuring massive outdoor signage, a brick outhouse labeled “Democrat Superstore,” and a $2,999 mannequin dressed as the president wearing a “Trump 2028” hat, the outlet is now liquidating its remaining inventory at 50 percent off, according to Slate.

SAVING FACE

Trump’s Desperate Move to Avoid Embarrassing Defeat Exposed

Ewan Palmer

While initial local news reports suggested the closure was tied to an owner relocating to Florida, staff inside the building offered a far more direct explanation for why the operation is shutting down.

“No. That’s why we’re closing,” an employee named Dan told Slate while vacuuming the shop floor when asked if foot traffic was steady. “We’re not busy anymore.”

Dan recalled the store’s peak days, when major political events generated massive spikes in customer traffic off the highway. “Most of the people that travel the interstate have been in here. I mean, back in the heyday or whatever, we counted, one day, we had 86 people,” he said, citing big sales days following Charlie Kirk’s shooting and after Trump ordered the bombing of Iran.

The store’s owner, whom Slate identified as William “Bill” Hays, who also operates a second merchandise shop in Gatlinburg, pushed back fiercely against reports attributing the shutdown to retirement or a move down South. “The girl that reported that did not know what she was talking about,” Hays said, expressing irritation over Knox News coverage that highlighted his age and personal finances.

“I’m not retiring, not moving down, but we own two condos in Naples... Yes, I am old and I am 80, and I do own condos and other businesses. I don’t know why the h--l she said I was 80, anyway.”

Ultimately, Hays conceded the actual cause behind the store’s demise. “I don’t think she wanted to say we were closing for lack of business, but that’s why we’re closing,” he acknowledged, referring to the Knox News story.

Hays fondly remembered peak moments for the retail space, particularly after an attempt on Trump’s life in July 2024. “The first time that they tried to assassinate him was huge,” Hays said. “People were waiting to walk in the door. Everybody was going ‘Choo Choo Trump train,’ and this whole building was moving. I mean, it was just, it was unbelievable.”

Standing nearby, Dan offered his boss a stark assessment of fading MAGA retail appeal, telling Hays directly that Trump “really is dwindling, dwindling, dwindling” in popularity as working-class shoppers face tough household budget choices.

“People really are saying, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to do a full load of groceries or I’m going to put my electric bill on a credit card this month,’” Dan said.

Hays insisted to Slate that he has no plans to sell the land, claiming it “is not going down in value,” and intends to launch another venture because “it’s all about making money.”

See more of our coverage in your search results.

ADD THE DAILY BEAST ON GOOGLE

Leigh KimminsReporter

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.