Party stores see spike in Trump piata sales ahead of election

With only days until the election, sales of Donald Trump piñatas continue to sell out at party stores in Santa Barbara.

At Ashley’s Dollar Store on Milpas, yellow-haired, red-tie wearing Donald Trump piñatas are positioned at the front door. They also hang from the ceiling, right next to Spiderman piñatas.

“The sales are good. We can’t keep them in stock actually,” said manager Alex Hernandez.

Hernandez said the store started selling the $20 piñatas when Trump entered the race over a year ago. But the papier mâche likeness of the GOP presidential candidate didn’t become popular until more recently.

“Once he started going after the Latino people, they all turned on him,” Hernandez said.

The store also stocked up on Hillary Clinton piñatas, but Hernandez said those didn’t sell.

The family-owned store has been in business for 25 years and is getting backlash for selling the Trump piñatas.

“We were getting phone calls. People saying they want to see us shut down because of the piñatas,” said Hernandez.

Hernandez said he and his family are not inserting themselves into the political debate and they don’t care if people make the Trump piñatas into a shrine or whack them with a stick.

“We were just here to sell the piñatas and that was all we were trying to do,” said Hernandez.

As for if the Trump piñata boom will continue, Hernandez said it all depends on who wins on Nov. 8.

“If Trump wins then I think this piñata craze will go on as long as he’s in the presidency. If he doesn’t win, I think people will just forget about him, you know?” said Hernandez.