THE SPECTACULAR, SPOOKY, SPIRIT HALLOWEEN STORE

by Kristin Merrilees

Fall is on the horizon, and we all know what that means: cozy sweaters, apple picking, enjoying candy corn (or at least pretending to), and pumpkin spice everything. But while you’re dreaming up a bucket list of autumnal adventures, remember that there is one place that you really just can’t miss: the Spirit Halloween store. 

If, for some reason, you are uninformed, here’s the lowdown on Spirit Halloween. The seasonal retailer opens up every year from August through Halloween, and has everything you could ever need for #spookyszn, from costumes to fog machines to pumpkin carving kits.

While it’s common to see stores in vacant locations, it’s presence in the grave of one particular retailer was particularly shocking. That’s right, what was once the original Barneys luxury department store is now… a Spirit Halloween.

That means that, this fall, instead of luxury handbags and high heels, you’ll walk under Spirit Halloween’s signature ghoulish logo to find a wide variety of costumes: a 1920s flapper,
Lola Bunny, Harley Quinn, a cheerleader, Rapunzel, a skeleton, Minnie Mouse, a “whimsical fairy.” 

There are endless options for decor too. You could scare away neighborhood children with the “6.5 Ft LED Pennywise Animatronic Decoration,” cover your yard with spiders and other critters, go full-out with a movie theme — such as Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, or Beetlejuice. Or, if you already have your costume basics but just want to *spice* it up a bit, Spirit also has costume makeup, glitter, temporary tattoos, and more. 

For some reason, spiderweb-filled Spirit Halloween has also become popular on the interwebs. People talk about wanting to go to the store for a date or just for a little autumnal-themed retail therapy.

The appeal of Spirit Halloween is multifaceted. For one, the arrival of Spirit Halloween signs is an annual reminder that October is near. For those of us who prefer apple cider, cozy sweaters, and pumpkin patches to summer’s lemonade, bikinis, and beaches, nothing kicks off fall better than a trip to the nearest Spirit Halloween store. It can bring us back to memories of childhood Halloweens and all the fun and festivity that trick-or-treating, decorating, and the entire #spookyszn can bring. 

Spirit Halloweens also have a curious, yet spontaneous omnipresence to them. Every year, they pop up where bankrupted or closed businesses once were. Toys R Us? Nope, Spirit Halloween. Best Buy? Nope, Spirit Halloween. Blockbuster? Nope, Spirit Halloween.

And in 2021, it seems anything is possible. So, if this fall season, you ever find yourself on Seventh Avenue, Barneys is no more. In its place? You guessed it… a Spirit Halloween. 

*thumbnail edited photo from @deviantdorei on Instagram