Temporary Halloween shops pop up across the region to herald the spooky season

Spirit Halloween, the largest costume retailer in the United States, has opened three stores in Northwest Indiana and will soon open a fourth to kick off the spooky season. The New Jersey-based retailer recently opened a store in the former Salvage Furniture at 815 Willowbrook Drive in Schererville, the former Justice at 510 Porters Vale Boulevard in Valparaiso, the former Sears at 3901 Franklin St. in Michigan City and the former Party City at 17810 Halsted St. in south suburban Homewood. It will soon open in the former Sears at 2300 Southlake Mall in Hobart.

Spirit Halloween plans to open a record 1,525 stores nationwide this year.

They typically occupy vacant real estate for several months, giving people a chance to stock up on costumes, accessories, masks, decorations, and other Halloween accessories.

This year, Spirit Halloween plans to revamp its Spirit Hallows store theme with a carnival theme and cemetery-inspired store designs that aim to give shoppers spooky chills.

Spirit Halloween, which has been in business for more than four decades, has opened 1,100 stores nationwide and plans to open the rest this month.

“The Halloween fan base continues to grow, and our incredible team works year-round to create a unique and one-of-a-kind in-store experience that will captivate customers all season long,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “Visiting a Spirit Halloween store is more than just a shopping trip – it’s fun, it’s tradition, it’s creating moments and memories with family and friends that bring the magic of Halloween to life, and we’re excited to welcome fans back to the show.”

Designed as interactive experiences, the stores feature Instagrammable scenes, animatronics and a CarnEvil theme. People can buy props, tombstones, skeletons or popular costumes from horror movies or recent hits like “Deadpool and Wolverine.” The retailer offers costumes for all ages, from babies to adults.