Yahoo Finance ‘Sold out’: Twist after press conference at viral business
The business at the heart of Donald Trump’s Four Seasons press conference fiasco has cashed in on its viral fame, but sold out of its novelty items almost immediately.
Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a small, woman-owned business in Philadelphia, shot to fame after the President’s lawyers held a press conference there on 7 November.
It quickly became an internet joke, after it became clear the President’s team had meant to book the press conference at the up-market Four Seasons Hotel.
But the business has taken it in its stride, using its new-found fame to sell merchandise.
The merchandise features slogans like “Make America Rake Again”, a play on Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, “Lawn and Order” and “In Sod We Trust”.
After releasing the t-shirts, hoodies and stickers on Sunday night local time, it announced it was “slammed” by orders. On Monday it began releasing face masks and on Tuesday it had sold out.
“We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support we've received! You all are amazing! We are temporarily halting sales on all items with the exception of our Green FSTL tee shirts and Lawn and Order stickers. All of the other items on our site are temporarily sold out,” it explained on its Facebook page.
It’s now resumed sales with buyers from all around the world and of all political persuasions picking up the merchandise.
The business has also used its cult status to promote other small businesses, launch a Zoom background and even facilitate a charity fun run between itself and the Four Seasons Hotel.
It’s promoted a small Philadelphia barber as “the best in town” and also boosted braiding salon Beauty and Braidzzz and Californian truck supply Company Heavy Friction.
The owner’s niece, Nicole Macrone told Quartz she built the business from the ground up and that now she wanted to use the fame to support other businesses.
The small business’ success comes as the Covid-19 pandemic raises huge challenges for others.
According to Yelp research, 163,735 US businesses on its platform alone had closed since the beginning of the pandemic.
And across the US as a whole, that figure is likely closer to one quarter of all small businesses.
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