This year retailer Spirit Halloween is resurrecting the grand opening celebration it usually hosts at its flagship holiday merchandise store, an event that kicks off the rollout of its national fleet of pop-ups. And 2,000 people have already registered to get in.
The seasonal retailer last year canceled the daylong soiree it typically holds at its location in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, citing supply-chain problems. The event returns Saturday, with all the reservation slots filled and additional admissions now reverting to a first-come, first-served basis.
The chain, billing itself as the largest Halloween specialty retailer, has interactive stores known for creepy moving displays that prompt jump-scares from visitors — and its orange-and-black "Jack the Reaper" logo is familiar. Plans call for opening a record 1,575 temporary stores in the United States and Canada this year in otherwise vacant retail space to sell costumes, accessories, animatronics and home decor.
It all goes to show just how lucrative Halloween is for retailers, with spending estimated at $13.1 billion last year by the National Retail Federation. That makes the holiday a competitive arena: Amazon, Walmart, Target, The Home Depot, the dollar stores and even PetSmart are among those vying for a piece of the action.
But no other company rolls out pop-ups on the same scale as Spirit Halloween does. Party City used to open dozens of temporary Halloween City locations, but the practice ended when the retailer had financial woes, filed for Chapter 11 and then wound down its business.
Following Saturday's event, Spirit Halloween will begin opening stores across North America from mid-to-late August through early September. Those locations will close within days after Halloween, which is Oct. 31.
Filling retail vacancies
The chain, owned by Spencer Gifts, negotiates short-term leases for vacant retail spaces, giving landlords a way to generate income while searching for permanent tenants. The U.S. retail vacancy rate is at a low 4.3%, according to CoStar data. Even so, Spirit Halloween has continued to find available space.
This year, the retailer has leased a number of locations previously occupied by chains that have gone bankrupt or downsized. That includes Saks Off 5th, Forever 21, Bed Bath & Beyond, At Home, Big Lots, Toys R Us, Party City, Value City Furniture and JoAnn.
In West Orange, New Jersey, Spirit Halloween will open in a vacant Macy's. A former Ikea Planning Studio on Third Avenue in Manhattan will house one of the pop-ups. Spirit Halloween also has a number of stores coming to former Rite Aid, Walgreens and CVS drugstore sites.
In June, Spirit Halloween announced plans to hire more than 52,000 seasonal workers for its pop-ups. Employees receive a 30% discount on merchandise.
In the past people from across the United States and the world have trekked to the Garden State for the flagship Spirit Halloween's grand opening. This year they were warned that they can't camp out or stay overnight at the store's site at Harbor Square mall, and that they can't arrive earlier than 7 a.m. Saturday. Spirit Halloween even recommended some local hotels to stay in.
Those who are pre-registered can check in and get in line. After that it's general admission — free — while space lasts. The day will include "games, freebies, food and treats," Spirit Halloween said. And there's a first look at the store and its goods.
This year the chain unveiled a new animatronics collection that includes Trash Bandit, a radioactive raccoon; Crackles, a sinister carnival clown; the silent stalker Michael Myers from the "Halloween" movies; and the Doomsday Duo, "who welcome the end of civilization in a burst of glowing green destruction."
The latest animatronic offerings employ next-level technology, according to Spirit Halloween. That includes conversation-response Bluetooth capability that listens and reacts in real time as well as "coordinated LED lighting effects, dynamic motion and immersive soundscapes."
To top it off, animatronics are supported by Spirit Halloween's Zombie Tech Squad. It's a dedicated "undead" team of in-house experts specializing in troubleshooting, assembly and upkeep. "They make setting up the ultimate yard haunt so easy, it's scary," according to the chain.