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IN THE MOOD TO PARTY
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SCARY JOB: Jeff Lyda, co-owner of Halloween Mania in Austintown, checks out masks at the store. He said a lack of stress is making Halloween a popular adult event.
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WHO’S THAT?: Milly Lopez, an employee at Halloween Mania, tries on a mask at the store. Sales have been strong this month at the seasonal Halloween shop.
‘It’s one of the best Halloweens ever’
Retailers report that sales have stayed strong despite the recession.
By Don Shilling
This Halloween is shaping up to be frightfully good for local retailers.
With Oct. 31 falling on a Saturday, more adults are planning costume parties, and bars are spending more on decorations, store operators say.
“It’s a weekend, so why not have fun?” said Marisa Lindsey, manager of the Party Place in Boardman.
The store has been packed this week as adults search for just the right look and get ready for weekend parties.
“Everything is flying off the shelves,” Lindsey said.
Jeff Lyda, co-owner of Party On! in Niles and Halloween Mania in Austintown, said his stores have been beating last year’s sales results every day this month.
Plus, having five Saturdays during October is good for sales this year.
“It’s one of the best Halloweens ever,” Lyda said.
He attributes much of the strong sales to the annual event falling on a Saturday, but he added that Halloween seems to become more popular every year. Many people have found that they face too many demands and too much traffic during the Christmas season, he said.
“Halloween has become a favorite adult holiday because there’s no stress in it,” he said.
This year, even some brides are seeing the fun of having Halloween fall on a Saturday.
Shirley James, owner of Ward’s Costume Shoppe in Niles, has rented costumes for three wedding receptions Saturday where guests are asked to come in disguise.
The retailers reported that Halloween sales have stayed strong despite the recession.
Lyda said his Halloween sales are up about 10 percent over last year.
Last October was a good sales month, too, even though the nation’s credit and stock markets were in turmoil. Lyda’s Halloween sales were up 15 percent last year.
He said people are comfortable with spending between $20 and $100 for the opportunity to dress up.
“Even in a tough economy, it’s a good release, and it’s an inexpensive release,” he said.
Lyda and his sister, Debbie Simon, opened Party On! in 1998 and noticed the increasing demand for Halloween costumes and supplies shortly after. They opened Halloween Mania as a seasonal store in the Austintown Plaza five years ago, and for the last four years have taken up the former 30,000-square-foot Ames building during September and October.
Lindsey said shoppers at Party Place were ready to start buying for Halloween in the summer. The store put out some of its Halloween items in July, a bit earlier than normal, and customers responded favorably.
“People were asking why didn’t we have everything out,” Lindsey said.
At Ward’s Costume Shoppe, James said have been a bit slower throughout the year but Halloween sales have been comparable to last year.
Her store was jammed on Oct. 31 last year, so she can’t make any judgments on Halloween sales until the week is over. So far, however, signs are pointing toward a strong week.
“It’s getting crazier this week. The next couple days are really going to make the difference,” she said.
shilling@vindy.com