President Biden bought a Kamala Harris mug from a small D.C. shop. It sold out in three hours.
He may be commander-in-chief, but on Tuesday, President Joe Biden had some very normal activities on his schedule — shopping and getting ice cream. While at Honey Made, a small local boutique, Mr. Biden spoke to reporters and bought some souvenirs — including a mug with Vice President Kamala Harris on it, which sold out three hours after the president took one home.
Mr. Biden posed for photos with employees at the shop and the official Honey Made Instagram account posted a picture of what he bought — a necklace for first lady Jill Biden, a sweatshirt for his grandson and the Vice President Kamala Harris mug, according to CBS affiliate WUSA-TV.
Interest in the mug immediately skyrocketed after the president visited the store around 2 p.m., Viboonrattana Mu Honey, the shop's owner, told CBS News.
"One lady called in around 3 and asked if she can get one right now," she said via Instagram message. "She wanted to pay right away. I kept telling her it's OK I already put your name on it."
There weren't many mugs left after the holidays, but the remaining ones were sold out by 5 p.m., Honey said. "We have to get them back right away." she told CBS News.
Mr. Biden also posted a photo of himself and the vice president with the mug. "I went out to a store in D.C. yesterday and found this," the Instagram post reads. "It's the best part of shopping at small businesses: you never know when you'll come across something your friend might love."
The shop got even more interest the morning after the president's visit, Honey said.
Mr. Biden also wrote a note to Honey's daughter for her belated birthday.
"Thank you for supporting my shop, supporting the small and local makers who sell their creative products in our shop, and for supporting women-owned businesses," Honey wrote on Instagram.
After that excursion, Mr. Biden got his favorite treat, stopping at Jeni's Ice Cream on 14th Street for a couple of scoops, WUSA-TV reports.
The outing follows Mr. Biden's pledge last week to connect with everyday Americans, according to the The Associated Press.
The Biden administration is trying to spotlight the positive economic trends during his presidency, like the 3.9% unemployment rate. While he was shopping, the White House announced the the administration had provided $400 billion in aid to more than 6 million small businesses, according to the AP.