Halloween is still more than 30 days away but businessman Paul Merk is already courting customers with tons of holiday costumes and decorations at the Halloween Megastore in Volusia Mall.
“Now is the best time to shop for size and selection,” Merk said during an interview at the store, which opened Labor Day.
Many consumers, however, like to play the waiting game and don’t head out to buy Halloween supplies until about two weeks before Oct. 31.
“Then it’s 15 days of glory. It becomes a madhouse,” said Merk, who operates one of several specialty retailers that have opened in the Volusia-Flagler area.
Just outside the mall, workers this week were putting the finishing decorative touches to the Spirit of Halloween Superstore at 1610 W. International Speedway Blvd. The company, which is a unit of Spencer Gifts, takes over abandoned big-box storefronts for about 60 days every fall.
Company officials did not respond to a telephone call.
Area residents Christina Simonson and co-worker Lisa Tindle were among those who visited Spirit of Halloween this week. “Our job does a big Halloween party each year,” Tindle said.
The theme for this year, according to Simonson, was taken from the movie “Grease.” “We (initially) thought about Gilligans Island but we decided on ‘Grease,’ ” she said.
Kathy Grannis, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, said Halloween provides the perfect segue for retailers before the larger holiday shopping period.
“Back-to-school shopping is over,” Grannis said in a telephone interview from her Washington, D.C.-based office. “Consumers are ready for fall.”
The trade association will release its annual holiday predictions for Halloween next week. Total spending for Halloween 2007 was expected to reach $5.07 billion, the second-biggest decorating holiday after Christmas.
One thing that could make this Halloween a slam-dunk for retailers is that it falls on a Friday….
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