Trump piñatas bring big business to Austin shops

On a recent summer day, four human-looking piñatas dangled from an awning at Piñata Party Palace on East Cesar Chavez Street.

Drawn onto each was the same uniform: a black suit with a white shirt and a red tie. On top of each of their heads a strange, unmistakable hairdo.

It was Donald Trump, piñata version.

In the month and a half since Trump’s presidential announcement, the bombastic Republican candidate has drawn a slew of support among primary voters as well as the ire of many others for his comments about Mexican immigrants, who he referred to as criminals and rapists.

Now, it seems, those who take issue with Trump’s comments are fighting back. There also were reports from other cities around the nation about Trump piñatas being hot sellers for debate watching parties Thursday night.

“People are doing the obvious thing with (the piñatas),” said Jorge Salazar, owner of the Piñata Party Palace. “Hang it and hit it.”

“One guy told me he just wanted it to take out his aggression on,” Salazar said. “Just wanted to have it near him so he can hit it with a stick.”

The popularity of the Trump piñata has risen along with the real estate mogul’s ascent to the top of the Republican primary pack.

When people first called Salazar expressing interest in Trump piñatas, he said,he didn’t have it in stock.

But since he ordered 40 Trump piñatas about a month ago, they’ve been a strong seller. About half of his Trump stock is gone, Salazar said, and he'll have to put in another order at the end of the month.

“The way things are going, I’m going to keep ordering them until he’s out of the news,” he said.

This story was originally published August 6, 2015 at 9:10 PM with the headline "Trump piñatas bring big business to Austin shops."