The National Retail Federation is reporting that Halloween spending is expect to reach a record-setting $10.6 billion for Americans this year. Consumers plan to spend $100 one average for candy, cards, costumes and decor.
But some shoppers have limits.
“We came in initially wanting the whole Michael Myers outfit,” Bend Spirit Halloween customer Nicole Lewis, said. “For a once-in-a-time thing, $70 for a mask and another almost $50 for the jumpsuit just wasn’t worth it.”
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Despite the expenses, a steady stream of customers flowed into the holiday retail giant Spirit Halloween on Thursday. Possibly to build their own haunted house.
“In recent years, we’ve seen more and more of what we call ‘home haunts,’ Manger Jim Jensen said. “More people are doing it out of their homes, out of their garages, so we’re selling a lot more animatronics, a lot more decor to facilitate that.”
Those animatronics cost nearly $300. They are so popular, that there’s a first-come, first-served waitlist.
“All of those sell very well during the Halloween season,” Jensen said. “We’ll sell out very soon. By October 31st, we wont have any left.”
