Pumpkin spice lattes, cozy movies, and apple orchard visits are all perks of the fall season—but when it officially settles in late next month, we also officially start the countdown to Halloween. So, if you're looking for a stellar costume, killer accessories, or spooky decorations this year, a visit to a Spirit Halloween store should be on the docket. And if you like to get started early, you're in luck. The retailer has already started opening up its pop-up stores this year, planning to open over 1,500 stores across the U.S. in the coming weeks.
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As of Aug. 1, several Spirit Halloween stores had already opened, and according to the retailer's website, additional locations will open throughout this month. The flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, was one of the first to welcome shoppers. It celebrated the grand opening with a lineup starting at 7 a.m. and also gave Spirit Halloween swag bags to the first 200 "fans."
To find out where your closest shop is this year, use Spirit Halloween's store locator. You can search by your state or your city and postal code. According to the website, most stores are open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
All Spirit Halloween stores will sell costumes for both kids and adults, Halloween decorations, and the ever-popular animatronics. This year, the seasonal retailer has officially licensed Sandworm animatronics and decorations from Beetlejuice—and if you've had your eye on the famous 12-foot Skelly animatronic from Home Depot, you can find similar versions at Spirit Halloween (albeit a bit shorter). The retailer sells a 10-foot Giant Death Ray Animatronic ($349.99) and a 6-foot Grim Animatronic ($299.99)
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Brick-and-mortar Spirit Halloween stores come and go annually and only stay open for a few months of the year. As a result, the company doesn't have to enter a long-term lease or commit to a new storefront, CNBC reported in Nov. 2023. In fact, you've probably noticed that Spirit Halloween stores literally "pop up" in larger spaces that other retailers have recently abandoned—and you might have also taken note of how quickly they set up shop.
As a Spirit Halloween representative told CNBC, it typically only takes between nine and 11 days for one of these stores to go through the opening process. According to GlobalData retail analyst Neil Saunders, this is a big advantage.
"Spirit Halloween doesn’t have to pay too much attention to things like flooring and construction, which are usually very time consuming when opening new shops," Saunders said.
They disappear just as quickly as they arrive, too, closing up shop in early November after Halloween passes. But that's not before they offer major discounts on any leftover inventory from the season. Sometime around Nov. 1, Redditors say the stores often offer roughly 50 percent off of everything.
Still, if you're not within driving distance of a Spirit Halloween pop-up shop, you don't have to miss out on the spooky fun. The retailer operates its online store all year round, meaning you can order whatever you need and have it delivered right to your doorstep.
