A Spirit Halloween store is now open at 11185 W. Lincoln Highway in Frankfort. (Photo by Bob Bong)
Comings & Goings: Halloween stores are in full swing
By Bob Bong
Frost is in the air, pumpkin spice is everywhere and spooky decorations have exploded in front yards across the Southland, which means it’s time for the seasonal Halloween stores to start popping up like zombies from the boneyard.
Spirit Halloween, a seasonal retailer that operates in empty storefronts in the weeks leading up to Oct. 31, is planning on operating nine stores in the south suburbs and northwest Indiana. Most of them opened just after Labor Day.
Spirit stores are now open at 204 Orland Park Place in Orland Park in the former Stein Mart store, at 11185 W. Lincoln Hwy. in Frankfort in a former Sports Authority store, at 3128 Voyager Lane in a former Toys R Us location at Louis Joliet Mall in Joliet, at 9610 W. 98th St., at 17810 S. Halsted St. in Homewood in a former Party City store, and at 1600 N. State Route 50 at Northfield Square Mall in Bourbonnais.
In northwest Indiana, stores are now open or will be soon at 8333 Indianapolis Blvd. at Ultra Plaza in Highland, Ind., in a former Dollar General store, at 1525 U.S. 41 in Schererville in a former Dress Barn, and at 2881 E. 81st Avenue in Merrillville in a former The Room Place.
Spirit stores generally stay open through Halloween week and they are usually open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, until 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
For a complete list of stores in Illinois and northwest Indiana, visit www.spirithalloween.com.
Also open for those that want to get an early start on the season of the witch is a Halloween Land Superstore on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
The store at Ford City shopping center, 7601 S. Cicero Ave. opened Monday. There’s another store at 4632 W. Diversey in Chicago.
Halloween City stores can be found at The Annex, 8133 S. Cicero Ave. in Chicago, and at the Ford City Annex at 8141 S. Cicero Ave. in Chicago. Two stores in northwest Indiana are at the Crossings of Hobart, 2520 E. 79th Avenue in Merrillville, and at Highland Grove Shopping Center at 10429 Indianapolis Blvd. in Highland.
Party City said it would also be opening Halloween City stores inside select Party City locations in the Chicago area.
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