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Temporary stores for Halloween

Elizabeth Flores, Dml - Star Tribune

Melinda Whipps, volunteering with the United Way, was thrilled with the many costumes she was sifting through and tagging as she joined at least 300 other volunteers at the sixth annual ARC volunteering event. More than 700 volunteers volunteered at the old Mervyns department store at southdale Mall to sort through 100,000 Halloween costume items that will be sold at ARCC thrift stores in the Twin Cities. Volunteers representing different agencies such as Target, Cargill, ING, and the Vikings were on hand to help.

By JOHN EWOLDT, Star Tribune

Last update: October 14, 2009 - 4:49 PM

Don't expect this to be a dead year at Halloween specialty stores. When times are tough, Halloween does well, said Dick Cohn, owner of five Spirit Halloween stores in the Twin Cities. Many parents say it was their favorite day as a kid, and they want to make it just as special for their kids, regardless of the recession.

Halloween has become such a big event that it's outgrown the 31st. It's become a season that goes beyond a costume to decorating the house and the yard throughout October, Cohn said.

Where to start shopping for grim tidings? I've listed the temporary Halloween stores below, but don't forget about places such as Costco, Fleet Farm, Menards, Spencer Gifts and Sam's Club. Target and Wal-Mart stores are obvious choices, but try the websites for better selection. Some of the following specialty stores have items that are made exclusively for them, often at scary prices of $200 or so. Those items sell out quickly to die-hard collectors, but the big-box retailers sell many large items for a lot less than that. But shop now because by mid-October, the big-box retailers such as Costco and Target clear out Halloween merchandise to get ready for, er, Christmas.

HALLOWEEN EXPRESS

www.halloweenexpress.com

• 14929 Florence Trail, Apple Valley, 952-891-1498

• 14300 Buck Hill Road, Burnsville, 952-435-7741

• 2839 N. White Bear Av., Maplewood, 651-748-1185

• 1585 Plymouth Road, Minnetonka, 1-507-350-8753

Adult and kids costumes with some home decor.

HALLOWEEN SHOP

www.halloweenshopcostumes.com

• 2741 Hennepin Av. S., Minneapolis, 952-807-3897)

Adult costumes mostly, no decor.

MONSTER HALLOWEEN

www.somonster.com/minnesota

• 4416 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park, 952-746-4744

Costumes for adults (mostly women), kids and pets, and some home decor.

SPIRIT HALLOWEEN

www.spirithalloween.com

• Northtown, 198 Northtown Drive NE., Blaine, 763-792-2365

• 9801 Lyndale Av. S., Bloomington, 952-888-0072

• 6725 York Av. S. Edina, 952-929-1925

• 1750 W. Hwy. 36, Roseville, 651-636-3320

• Wayzata Bay Center, 821 E. Lake St., Wayzata, 952-476-0850

• Woodbury Village, 7150 Valley Creek Plaza, Woodbury, 651-714-9390

• Woodbury Commons, 10150 Hudson Road, Woodbury, 651-578-6664

Costumes, decor and animatronics.

Did I miss anyone? Send me an e-mail if I omitted your Halloween specialty store, for an online followup.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter.

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