The Trump and Truth Store in Crystal Lake is shutting its doors.
Owner Lisa Fleischmann posted on the store’s Facebook page Thursday, “Closing store! Libs win!!!”
By Saturday, however, she’d posted an AI-generated video on Facebook saying the store was not closing, that it was “fake news” generated by haters of the president and that her “store closing” post only referred to reduced hours that particular day.
The status of the store remains unclear as Fleischmann has not responded to requests for comment. Her website states the store has reduced hours “so I can plan fun events and online store. Hours listed are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays or by appointment and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
It wouldn’t be the first time the store has shut down since its move to Crystal Lake.
After moving the store from Huntley following eviction proceedings, Fleischmann briefly opened the new location in December to accommodate holiday shoppers. She reopened in January, but in March the doors were closed again.
That time, Fleischmann said she shut down to finish getting the store ready. But she also said at the time that sales were slow at the new location and had been slow since the onset of the Iran war.
She’d said she believed the slowdown might have had to do with Trump supporters “laying low,” perhaps wanting to avoid confrontation with people who disagreed on the war in Iran or were otherwise opposed to the president.
Fleischmann moved to 829 S. Virginia Road in Crystal Lake after facing eviction from her prior location on Route 47 in Huntley last year. Fleischmann and some of her supporters felt the eviction was related to the store’s politics, but Huntley officials and the landlord’s attorney disputed that and said it was a matter of the store failing to follow local sign ordinances.
Fleischmann has been the target of online criticism, particularly after the recent release and wide circulation of police body-cam video showing her being taken into custody during a traffic stop.
That was connected to charges filed against her in DuPage County court for driving with a suspended license, and a warrant for her arrest had been issued after she’d failed to show for court hearings in the case, according to court records.
Fleischmann pleaded guilty to that charge on Aug. 12, and in exchange, a separate charge of driving without a proper registration was dropped, according to court records.
She has similar legal issues in McHenry County court involving driving without a license or registration, although the cases were dropped.
