The seasonal chain store, Spirit Halloween, owned by Spencer’s Gifts is launching Spirit Christmas in eight Northeastern locations. These stores sell Christmas merchandise, putting a spin on their successful business model of leasing locations for a short time during the Halloween season.
Spirit Christmas’ locations include four stores in New Jersey, two in New York, one in Pennsylvania, and one in Massachusetts, with their flagship store being in Mays Landing, NJ. Information on further locations opening has not yet been released.
Cities with a location:
New Jersey: New York: Massachusetts Pennsylvania
Brick Township, NJ Bohemia, NY North Darthmouth, MA Erie, PA
Similar to their Halloween animatronic displays, Spirit has a Gingerbread lane experience available in all eight locations. The display is a gingerbread-style village, which includes a Snowman with candy accessories, the Grinch, and a gingerbread man, along with other animatronics.
In-store, they also offer pictures with Santa and recommend customers book reservations with Santa in advance on their website, but walk-ins are permitted. Your photos with Santa will come at a cost from $19.99 to $39.99, but both digital and physical copies are available for purchase.
Christmas merchandise is also available past their animatronic display and Santa photo shoot. Classic decorations like string lights, ornaments, and inflatable figures are sold, too. They’ve also incorporated some of the Halloween scare into Christmas decorations, calling the line “Creepmas.” Clothing for humans and dogs, gift wrapping, and party decorations are available as well. Currently, these items are only available in-store as there isn’t an online shopping option.
Customers of their flagship store in Mays Landing, NJ have begun to leave reviews on google detaining their experiences.
“Smells like Christmas when you walk in. Great items. Could be more stuff and the prices could be a lot cheaper but overall really nice. Something different,” Amy Murray commented.
“Went there today and was happy with the experience. definitely brought the spirit of Christmas early,” Michael George stated.
Along with the positive store review, also came negative ones.
“Horrible selection, plus everything is sold out already. Why keep all the displays up with their price tags if I can’t buy it. I understand it’s their first year but what a sad excuse for a Christmas store,” Amanda Penque said.
“Beautiful items but very overpriced. I expected more inventory,” Christine F said.
Issues with stock in-store was a common complaint among customer reviews, along with the music being too loud.
Newly opened Spirit Christmas offers a wide-variety of products along with an animatronic gingerbread village display and pictures with Santa Clause at all eight locations. Their success in trying to break into the Christmas market will be determined by these next Christmas seasons.
