After a bumpy start following an eviction and move from Huntley, the Trump and Truth Store in Crystal Lake is having its grand opening this weekend.
The store will have giveaways, freebies, raffles and other festivities to commemorate the event, owner Lisa Fleischmann said. A ribbon cutting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at the store, 829 S. Virginia Road.
Grand opening festivities continue Sunday, as well, which happens to be the same day groups affiliated with McHenry County Republicans are planning a “Silent Majority” rally in McHenry from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Organizers of the rally are asking attendees, among other things, to bring signs in support of President Donald Trump.
The rally will also have a moment of silence for prayer and contemplation. Trump has called for Sunday to be a national day of prayer, according to rally organizers.
The White House said in a May 6 message that thousands are expected to gather at the National Mall on Sunday “to rededicate the United States as One Nation Under God.”
Fleischmann said she was not changing her plans because of the rally, but expects Saturday to be the busier of the two days.
She said she had the date planned for some time and plans to celebrate One Nation Under God.
Fleischmann opened the Crystal Lake store briefly around the holidays to accommodate Christmas shoppers. She opened the store permanently in January, but the store went on hiatus at the end of March.
She said she needed time to finish setting up the store, and opened on weekends after a few weeks. A couple of weeks ago, she expanded her days to Thursday through Sunday.
The store moved to Crystal Lake after Fleischmann faced eviction from her location off Route 47 in Huntley last year.
Fleischmann said Wednesday that store traffic has been increasing in the past several weeks. She said she has been getting supportive honks, texts and thumbs-up around town.
“A lot of people are really excited,” Fleischmann said.