Looking for Halloween stuff? Check out these Belleville, Fairview Heights stores
Is it odd that I consider Halloween my favorite holiday when I don’t do anything special to celebrate it?
Probably.
I think that’s part of why I enjoy it. I don’t have to do anything special to celebrate it, other than maybe pop some popcorn or order a pizza to nosh during some spooky (but not too scary) movies or TV specials. (I still enjoy “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”)
But many Halloween fans out there like to go all out with costumes and decorations, and I’m clearly not the only one who knows that.
Each year, we see the cropping up of specialty stores just for the occasion.
And Spirit Halloween is one of them.
Well, a few of them, to be more accurate.
Let’s get scary
There are three Spirit Halloween stores in the metro-east: one in Belleville and two in Fairview Heights.
I paid a visit to the Spirit Halloween store at 7310 Westfield Plaza Drive on the west end of Belleville (near the McDonald’s and former Kmart off of 74th Street).
Open since early September, the store has so much great Halloween stuff. And I’m not talking about just costumes, although there are many to choose from for all ages. And for dogs (not that either of mine would allow it).
They have the accessories and make-up, hair sprays in different colors and props that go with costumes.
But they also have great stuff for the home, from welcome mats to coffee mugs to fun decorative signs to throw blankets and pillows.
Other festive decorations include zombie babies, creepy dolls, severed limbs, tombstones and items in Ouija, Tarot and Gothic Noir themes.
There are Funko Pop figures and bobbleheads of characters from horror flicks, fun socks and T-shirts (which I always enjoy), and themed books and journals.
Then there are the pop culture collections featuring different genres.
Assistant Manager Cat Satterlee said the store has Chucky dolls, Pennywise costumes and a full Wednesday (as in Addams) collection.
They also have sections for “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Beetlejuice” full of dolls, mugs and tumblers, and other themed items. (I had my eye on the “Handbook for the Recently Deceased” crossbody bag.)
Throughout the store, one can also find costumes from Harry Potter, Hocus Pocus, Star Wars, Marvel, Dr. Seuss, Scooby-Doo … the list goes on.
One of the coolest things they have at Spirit Halloween are the animatronics.
There are plenty of Halloween-themed creatures that move, light up and talk, including witches, skeletons, and (gulp!) clowns. I really hate clowns.
I’m not gonna lie – Despite the clowns, I totally enjoyed myself at the store and think it should be here all year long.
Something for everyone
Satterlee said the Belleville store wasn’t planned, that opening it was a last-minute decision.
She came from one of the Fairview Heights stores, moving to the Belleville store when she was promoted to assistant manager.
There are 25 employees at the Belleville store, including Satterlee and sales associate Kapria Olson, who was also on duty during my visit.
Satterlee said the store set-up usually takes 5-6 days, and everyone, including some of the employees from Fairview Heights, work hard to get it all done.
They put up their own walls, build their shelves and peg the walls. Then all of the merchandise is stocked.
Satterlee also said it’s nice to have a full-sized store. The Belleville store is the only one this large in the area and has a lot more items than the other area stores.
Spirit Halloween is also a sister company to Spencer’s, which one can find at St. Clair Square.
This was my “something I learned today” but wasn’t a surprise. Both stores carry similar items, including some of the hilarious Steven Rhodes T-shirts I’m already familiar with.
By sheer coincidence, I was wearing one when I visited the store. I finally caved while I was at one of the Fairview Heights stores and bought two more.
After leaving the Belleville store, I went to the Fairview Heights store at 10900-D Lincoln Trail. It is indeed smaller than the Belleville store but still a lot of fun. (I noticed they had more Funko Pop figures and different coffee mugs, among other things.)
Then I went to the store located in the former Skechers outlet at 10 Lincoln Highway, where I spoke with store manager Darlene Moncrief.
When I brought up the scale of the Belleville store and how much merch they have, Moncrief said that despite size, every store will have different items.
Sure, there’s some overlap, but if one store doesn’t have something, the chances that another will are good.
She said it’s been really busy, and honestly, one can tell.
Several displays were empty, and staff were busy unpacking new stock and putting them on the shelves.
Moncrief said they’re busiest on evenings and weekends. She recommends that to avoid the biggest crowds, stop by in the morning when they first open, or come by after 8 p.m.
Moncrief has been with Spirit Halloween since 2009 and comes back every year because she loves it. She said her kids grew up with it and enjoy it too.
With a couple of weeks left before Halloween as I write this column, there are still plenty of costumes and other spooky fun stuff available.
Satterlee said that there will be a big sale on Halloween, but some items are already marked down.
All three stores are open through Nov. 2.
I might go back just to play. Who’s with me?
About Spirit Halloween
Spirit Halloween is the largest Halloween retailer in North America, according to the company’s website.
There are more than 1,450 pop-up locations for the nearly 40-year-old retailer.
While the stores are only around during the Halloween season, orders can be placed on the website all year long.
Spirit Halloween’s metro-east locations include:
7310 Westfield Plaza Drive, Belleville;
10 Lincoln Highway, Fairview Heights;
10900-D Lincoln Trail, Fairview Heights.
The hours at the three stores are:
9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 19;
9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 20-21;
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 22;
9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 23-26;
8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 27-28;
8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 29;
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 1;
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 2.
For more information, visit spirithalloween.com.
