Trump the Duck?
We have heard of politicians that duck the issues, but a politician as a duck?
At Essex Duck (essexduck.com), a business that sells nothing but rubber ducks, sales of Trump ducks eclipse pirate ducks six to one, angel ducks 11 to one, and devil ducks 13 to one. In fact, nearly one in nine sales of character ducks is a Trump duck. The Quacker in Chief outsells doctors, chefs, fire fighters, brides, police, and ballerinas—combined!
“Love him or hate him, people buy the Trump duck,” says Essex Duck founder Sherri Athay. “But some are reluctant to do so until assured Trump does not profit financially from the sale.”
Ironically, the idea for Essex Duck was hatched as a distraction from inescapable political discord. Athay purchased a rubber duck on impulse. “Penelope,” Athay says of the duck, “was like a ray of sunshine in what seemed to be an ever-darkening world.”
Within hours of purchasing Penelope, Athay announced to her husband and daughter they were going to open a rubber duck store. “If one duck casts a ray of sunshine, what light might thousands shed?” Athay reasoned.
The family-run business now has one of the largest and most diverse offerings of premium, collectible, and designer rubber ducks in the world.
Two models of rubber ducks cleverly capture the essence of Trump—from his hallmark hairstyle to his signature hand gestures.
What, exactly, do people do with all those Trump ducks? “We don’t ask,” says Athay, “but some buyers volunteer they give them to their bosses or grandmothers who voted for Trump or to their law partners or uncles who didn’t.”
The paradox of the duck’s appeal to both Trump critics and fans amuses Athay, who originally thought debate over the duck might detract from the peaceful, happy vibe of Essex Duck. But after selling out of both lines of Trump ducks within days of opening, Athay began to wonder if the store might be the only common ground upon which Trump supporters and detractors could stand.
“The store is a truce zone,” says Athay. “We call Essex Duck our happy place—a place free from the worries of the world—where all are welcome.”
“Peace, Love, and Rubber Ducks,” the store’s tagline, resonates with visitors to Essex Duck—both online at essexduck.com and in the store at 51 Main Street in the charming New England village of Essex, Connecticut.
