Thousands attend Spirit Halloween's grand opening in Egg Harbor Township (2024)

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — The Fischer family has a deep love for Halloween, so much so they made a 1,500-mile trek from Dallas to be part of Thursday’s opening of the Spirit Halloween flagship store for the upcoming season.

“We came in here yesterday morning and camped out all night,” said Michael Fischer, who traveled with his 16-year-old twin sons, Jacob and Lucas. “We’ve been to four of these kinds of openings before, and it’s always a good time, so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to come. We really enjoy Halloween.”

They weren’t alone, as Halloween enthusiasts from across the country endured 90-degree heat Thursday to be among the first to get their holiday shopping done. As of 2 p.m., more than 2,500 people had visited the store, Spirit spokesperson Nikki Balles said. By 4 p.m., hundreds remained, making for a long line at checkout.

In years past, people would line up lawn chairs and canopies and camp out in the Harbor Square shopping center parking lot as far as two days in advance of the event. However, camping was prohibited this year.

But that didn’t stop fans from arriving early.

Anthony Guddo, of Deptford Township, Gloucester County, said his 10-year-old son, Salvatore, wanted to get there at 3 a.m.

“We held off until like 5 a.m. and then made the trip down, but he was ready to go well before that,” Guddo said. “This is our second year coming to this opening, but we’ve been going to Spirit Halloween every single year since he was born.”

Attendees were allowed to start lining up at 7 a.m., and the first 200 received a free swag bag. Festivities kicked off two hours later with a carnival featuring games, music, face painting, sketch artists and more. Butterfinger also partnered with Spirit and handed out snacks and bucket hats to fans.

Several local officials and Spirit representatives gathered at the front of the store about 10 a.m. to cut the ribbon before allowing in the first guests. It then became a frenzy as children and adults alike rushed into the store to get their hands on the latest and greatest Halloween décor.

“It’s hard to describe how big of a day this is,” said Spirit CEO Steven Silverstein. “This is opening day, and these kids are coming from all over the country. That is what’s really astonishing to me; I met someone from Utah and someone from Ohio. The parents show a lot of passion and commitment because their kids look forward to this every year, and that is what drives our company.”

Although hundreds of costumes and decorations filled the store walls, the bulk of customers were seen pushing boxes of animatronics to the checkout line. Silverstein described the animatronics as being the “stars of the show.”

“We love them, and our fans love them,” Silverstein said. “It’s way early to tell what some of the hottest items for the year are going to be, but they do well during our early sales. Our theme for this year is ‘Carnevil,’ so we put Spirit’s twist on what a carnival would be, and we have a whole cast of different characters to choose from.”

Animatronics range from 2½ to 7 feet tall and can cost anywhere from $79.99 to $399.99, according to Spirit’s website. For Salvatore Guddo, animatronics were all he wanted to see.

“I like all of them,” Guddo said. “I was hoping for some good ones going into it, and I think this is one of the best selections they’ve ever had.”

Jacob Fischer livestreamed his walk through the store to fans on his YouTube channel, LMJ Halloween. He picked up several items, including Nibbles, a 6-foot tall clown.

Ted McCarthy, 40, of Brooklyn, New York, came to the event with his 10-year-old son, Cameron, and left the store with Rick Ratman, a 6-foot zombie, and Cotton Candy Dan, a 6-foot tall carnival performer.

“You never know what to expect when you first walk in here, so that is what makes a grand opening like this so cool,” McCarthy said. “I didn’t think I was going to purchase these things, but these were the ones my son wanted and he’s the sole reason why we came. Our front yard is definitely going to look interesting this Halloween, for sure.”

Friends Diana Ramos, 34, and Lilliana Alvarez, 32, both of Albany, New York, said meeting fellow Halloween enthusiasts from Denver at the hotel they stayed at was the best part of the trip outside of purchasing decorations at the store.

“We thought we came from far away until we met them,” Ramos said. “That’s the fun part about this, because it brings people with the same common interests to a single area. We’re leaving here with a couple friends from a whole different part of the country.”

Owned by Spencer Gifts, Spirit Halloween started in 1983 and its headquarters were brought to the township in 1999. The company has more than 1,500 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, Silverstein said.

“The beauty of Halloween is that it can be interpreted in so many different ways,” Silverstein said. “It’s not just a holiday, it’s all about where your imagination takes you. That is the most beautiful secret about Halloween.”

Silverstein said the remaining stores will open in the coming days and weeks.

“It’s opening day for the season,” Silverstein said. “Over the next few days, we’ll open around 400 to 500, and then at the end of our opening period, which runs through August, all of the stores will be open. This is just a kickoff because there is a lot more to come.”