Every Halloween fan worth his or her salt knows all about Spirit Halloween. The largest Halloween retailer in the United States, Spirit Halloween stores start popping up in empty storefronts in early to mid-August each year, and I don’t know about you, but walking through my local Spirit Halloween for the first time each year puts a spring in my step. I find myself grinning from ear to ear when one of those creepy animatronic figures leaps up, causing a child or adult to shriek in terrified delight. It makes me feel like a kid again.
Spirit Halloween brings out new spooky season-themed merchandise every year, and patrons can buy everything from costumes to home décor. This year, they are rolling out something new and different starting in “Augtober.”
Spirit Halloween is getting into the video game biz with the online debut of Haunted: Halloween ’86 – Spirit Edition. The game will be available to download digitally on Steam as of August 1 for $9.99 – and there is a promise that it will be added to additional platforms very soon.
Haunted: Halloween ’86 features well known horror characters such as Sam of Trick ‘r Treat and Spirit Halloween’s own Jack the Reaper. During the game, players are invited to visit Possum Hollow, a cursed town that hosts a Halloween face-off.
Spirit Halloween has something for those who prefer physical media as well
You can also purchase a limited-edition physical version of Haunted: Halloween ’86, which is compatible with the Nintendo Entertainment System and select Retron consoles. The physical game is available to purchase online as long as supplies last for $59.99, and comes with the game cartridge and a branded user manual, all packed in a custom game box.
Spirit Halloween was founded in 1983 by Joe Marver, who named it after his business, Spirit Women’s Discount Apparel. By the time his business was acquired by Spencer Gifts in 1999, it had grown to 60 locations. The company headquarters are currently in Egg Harbor Township in New Jersey. Obviously, Spirit Halloween has grown over the years, and now operates more than 1,500 locations throughout North America. Its website is open year-round, but the brick and mortar locations generally open in August and close during the first week of November.
In addition to their seasonal Halloween stores, Spirit Halloween expanded into the Christmas holiday in 2024, with eight Spirit Christmas stores opening across the United States. They also raise money in stores for children’s hospitals with their Spirit of Children program, and in 2022, Spirit Halloween: The Movie was released.