You’ve probably noticed those Spirit Halloween stores popping up every year as autumn rolls in. They usually take over an empty storefront in a strip mall or other high-traffic, low-rent location. Then, right after Halloween, just like a ghost, they’re gone—vanishing as quickly as they arrived after only a month or so of business.
But this year, Spirit Halloween is shaking things up with a clever new twist: introducing Spirit Christmas. After all, Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year, so why not stick around a little longer? It seems like the spooky-season retailer has figured out a way to extend their seasonal success by transitioning from Halloween frights to Christmas delights.
For landlords, this move is a holiday miracle. Instead of facing another vacant space after Halloween, they now have a tenant through to the end of the year, keeping the foot traffic—and the rent—flowing. The Spirit brand has given them an unexpected gift with this holiday extension, turning what was once a short-term lease into an opportunity for more revenue during the busiest shopping season of the year.
Spirit Halloween is making the shift from skeletons and ghouls to Santa Claus and stockings, with plans to open ten Spirit Christmas stores throughout the Northeast. Some of these stores will simply transform existing Spirit Halloween locations, while others will open in entirely new spots. Instead of being greeted by the iconic, spooky skeleton mascot Spirit fans are used to, customers can expect to be welcomed by a giant winking Santa Claus as they dive into a store filled with festive decorations, holiday costumes, and all the trimmings needed to make their Christmas merry and bright.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet a real-life version of Santa Claus inside the store, perfect for capturing festive photos. Each location promises a one-of-a-kind holiday shopping experience, overflowing with an extensive selection of seasonal décor, apparel, inflatables, gifts, and stocking stuffers. Shoppers can look forward to taking their annual Christmas card photo with Santa, complete with a complimentary digital postcard showcasing the magical moment. As guests explore, they can immerse themselves in a life-sized gingerbread village, where children and adults alike can mail their letters to Santa at the North Pole and even discover whether they’ve been placed on the naughty or nice list. Expect these enchanting holiday pop-ups to multiply rapidly, sprouting up like mushrooms and spreading festive cheer wherever they appear.
It’s a bold move from a brand that has long been synonymous with Halloween, but with Christmas being such a massive holiday in terms of spending, the timing couldn’t be better. Whether it becomes a long-term tradition remains to be seen, but Spirit Halloween seems ready to deck the halls and keep the holiday cheer (and profits) rolling.
The inaugural Spirit Christmas store in Mays Landing, New Jersey, is scheduled to open on October 18, with the remaining nine locations set to launch in early November.
-Waterford, CT: Crystal Mall, 850 Hartford Turnpike
– Dartmouth, MA: Faunce Corner Shopping Center, 65 Faunce Corner Mall Road
– Brick Township, NJ: Market Place at Brick, 465 NJ 70
– Marlton, NJ: 740 Route 73 South
– Mays Landing, NJ: Consumer Square, 230 Consumer Square
– Woodbridge, NJ: The Plaza at Woodbridge, 675 U.S. Highway 1 South
– Albany, NY: Colonie Center, 131 Colonie Center
– Bohemia, NY: Sayville Plaza, 5181 Sunrise Highway
– Poughkeepsie, NY: Chestnut Plaza, 2020 South Road
– Erie, PA: Millcreek Mall, 345 Millcreek Mall Boulevard
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