While retail stores’ bankruptcy rates are rising, affecting chains such as Party City, Big Lots, Rite Aid, and Forever 21, holidays like Halloween continue to draw consumers to shop in person.  In 2025, there have been almost 6,000 United States retail store closings, according to costar.com.  Yet, Halloween pop-up stores such as Spirit Halloween and mass retailers featuring Halloween merchandise continue to grow, according to npr.org.

Home Depot’s Halloween sales began in 2013, with a single aisle featuring around 40 harvest themed products.  Since then, Home Depot’s Halloween sales have expanded to offer consumers hundreds of Halloween themed products, according to The New York Times.

A key to their success is launching holiday promotions well before October.  Home Depot starts Halloween sales in July, and sets up displays by Labor Day, while Michael’s began selling Halloween merchandise as early as June 27, according to The New York Times. 

Popular pop-up stores such as Spirit Halloween, along with retailers that emphasize seasonal merchandise like Home Depot and Michael’s, are expanding.  In the last 20 years, Spirit Halloween has grown from 130 stores to more than 1,500 seasonal stores nationwide each year, according to The New York Times.  Spirit Halloween has developed into a 12 billion dollar business, earning seven million dollars on pet costumes alone, according to npr.org.

Spirit Halloween’s success lies in providing an immersive and entertaining experience.  When customers go to a Spirit Halloween store, they can expect over-the-top displays and sensory experiences designed to create a festive atmosphere, according to The New York Times.  Steven Silverstein, Chief Executive Officer of Spirit Halloween, explained why this chain is successful. 

“When you walk into a Spirit store, you are immersed into a Halloween space,” said Steven Silverstein.  “You can see it, you can smell it, you can touch it, you can almost taste it.” 

While Halloween pop-ups are thriving, retail stores are in decline.  Unlike Spirit Halloween, Party City paid yearly retail expenses, such as rent, utilities, and labor costs.  Spirit Halloween, on the other hand, does not need to spend money on year-round retail expenses.  Throughout the year, Spirit Halloween looks for vacant store fronts, and towards the end of the summer, they set up new store spaces for the upcoming fall season.  They build these stores in a matter of days.  This strategy proves effective, as most people spend between 100 to 150 dollars on candy, decorations, and costumes at specialty Halloween stores. Customers find Spirit Halloween fun and festive because of their wide variety of Halloween items and spooky displays, according to npr.org.  Steven Silverstein commented on the environment of Spirit Halloween.

“Spirit creates a social experience for an event,” said Steven Silverstein.  “Our brand is about bringing people into a hands-on environment.” 

Featured Image by Gabrielle Arredondo ’27