Blink, and you might miss it: the annual appearance of Spirit Halloween stores and others like it that seem to spawn overnight. Retail operations like these are the grim reapers of retail, swooping in over the still-warm carcass of recently closed or long-vacant storefronts, clearing out the cobwebs and making room for displays of fake cobwebs, costumes, candy, and everything you need for October. To date, there are 37 Spirit Halloween Stores opening for the 2024 Halloween season, but what were these retail spaces before they were selling Wolverine masks and sexy pirate costumes?

The Past Lives of Spirit Halloween Stores: The Ghosts of Michigan Retail

Children are seen wearing Halloween costumes in Michigan, more than likely purchased inside a Spirit Halloween store, which opens in recently closed or long vacant buildings during the Halloween season
Canva
loading...

Don't let Spirit Halloween's lighthearted inventory fool you. They are the ghouls and goblins of retail space. Their fierce real estate maneuvering begins when Spirit's doors close in November every year, with teams of agents combing Michigan and the country for prime locations.

RELATED: 11 Michigan Stores to Close: Big Lots to Shutdown 300 Nationwide

According to Frank Pacera, Spirit's real estate reaper, who spoke on the Kimco Realty podcast, the ideal space for the Halloween retailer is 7,000 to 10,000 square feet and has neighbors like Target and Walmart.

The Death of Michigan Retail is Great News for Spirit Halloween

Adults are seen wearing Halloween costumes in Michigan, more than likely purchased inside a Spirit Halloween store, which opens in recently closed or long vacant buildings during the Halloween season
Canva
loading...

Neil Stern of McMillianDoolittle best summed it up in a recent article on Vox: These deals are win-win. Landlords get some cash, and pop-ups get their haunt on. A temporary tenant is better than none any day.

Banana 101.5 logo
Get our free mobile app

With the recent and continued closures of some of Michigan's biggest national retailers, like Rite Aid, Big Lots, Bed Bath & Beyond, David's Bridal, and Office Max, there are no shortages of available spaces that pop-up shops would love to crawl into. Here's a look at the past lives of Michigan's 37 Spirit Halloween stores.

The Past Lives of All 37 Michigan 'Spirit Halloween' Stores

They pop up overnight and take over recently or long abandoned storefronts in Michigan beginning in August: October retail giant "Spirit Halloween," the grim reaper of retail closures. Here's a look at what all 37 Michigan Spirit Halloween were like in their past lives before they became home to masks and fake cobwebs.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

More From Banana 101.5