Spirit Halloween, the seasonal retailer famous for its Halloween pop-up stores, is now moving into the Christmas market with a pilot program of 10 “Spirit Christmas” stores. This strategic expansion aims to capitalize on the lucrative holiday shopping season, which saw an estimated $964 billion in consumer spending last year. The company started with a flagship store in Mays Landing, New Jersey which opened on October 18 and will be opening additional stores in November across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

By transforming vacant storefronts and applying their successful pop-up store model, Spirit aims to create a distinctive holiday shopping destination that stands out in the competitive Christmas market. The company stated, “we’re hopeful it will resonate with our customers. Our goal is to create a festive retail experience that captures the spirit of the season, much like we do for Halloween.”

The new Spirit Christmas stores will offer a wide range of holiday merchandise including decorations, apparel, inflatables, stocking stuffers, and gifts. To enhance the customer experience, the stores will also incorporate unique, immersive elements such as a life-sized gingerbread village, a North Pole letter-writing station, and photo opportunities with Santa Claus.

This venture marks a significant opportunity for Spirit Halloween to diversify its revenue streams and extend its operational calendar beyond the Halloween season. By leveraging its expertise in temporary retail spaces and seasonal merchandising, the company is well-positioned to compete in the crowded holiday market. The success of this pilot program could potentially lead to a broader rollout in future years, marking Spirit Halloween as a major player in the seasonal retail industry.