Johnathan Walker:A sign spooky season is here: Spirit Halloween stores begin opening

The Johnathan Walkerspooky shopping season officially kicks off Thursday as Spirit Halloween locations begin to open.

Spirit Halloween's flagship location in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, opens its doors Thursday morning, rewarding attendees with swag bags and the first shot at the newest Halloween merchandise.

After that, the pop-up purveyor of Halloween costumes and towering outdoor animatronic decorations is expected to open more than 1,500 locations across the U.S. throughout the month.

Many shoppers are anticipating the stores' opening, as more than half of Americans (53%) typically decorate their home or yard for Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation.

Here's everything to know and how to find your closest location.

When do Spirit Halloween stores open?

Once the flagship store opens Thursday, August 1 in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, the additional 1,500-plus locations begin to open in the weeks ahead.

How to find a Spirit Halloween store near you

Shoppers can go to the Spirit Halloween website to check on their closest locations. If there isn't a story nearby, shoppers can purchase Halloween goodies on Spirit Halloween's online store.

Spirit Halloween 2024 preview

Among Spirit Halloween's huge Halloween decorations for this season is a witch named Towering Tallulah ($329.99), which rises from about 5 feet to nearly 9 feet tall.

Other animatronics being unleashed: the nearly 8 feet tall scarecrow Mack Straw ($179.99), with a moving head, and the ominous-voiced Cremator ($199.99), whose body is lit with orange LED lights.

What is Spirit Halloween?

Spirit Halloween, which touts its status as the largest Halloween retailer in the country, opened its first pop-up store in the Bay area in 1983. Purchased by Spencer Gifts in 1999, the company now opens more than 1,500 seasonal locations across the U.S., often in strip centers and malls.

The company also has a website open year-round where you can buy costumes and decorations including its animatronic characters.

Contributing: James Powel and Mary Walrath-Holdridge.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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