Just in time for the Halloween holiday, Spirit Halloween is moving into some spacious new digs. The seasonal store featuring and all things creepy, spooky and Trick-or-Treat trendy has in recent years has been open seasonally inside a huge tent in the Meadowbrook Mall parking lot. This year, likely opening this week, Spirit Halloween will be located at the Meadowbrook Mall space previously occupied by Elder-Beerman.

 

“Because we’re moving inside the mall, we’re going to be able to do a complete store set-up with giant displays where before, in the tent, we didn’t have the room or ability to do,” said store owner, James Vanscoy.

 

Two such displays, he said, will be Spirit Acre Farms and Dead Harvest Farm House; both full of frights and promising to instill plenty of fear.

 

“It’s going to be really cool to have these giant displays where they can actually interact with the animatronics in our store,” said Vanscoy about the motorized and cable-pulled displays, delivering lifelike characteristics.

 

Another thing new to Spirit Halloween this year is Fortnite official licensed costumes.

 

“Fortnite is a gigantic gaming brand that is blowing up everywhere. We have the exclusive licensing for the Fortnite costumes in the skins for this video gaming trend that is very, very hot right now,” Vanscoy said,

That trend is obviously very popular for boys. For girls, Disney Vampirina is extremely popular. The store carries various pieces in the line which are expected to sell out quickly, he said.

 

Spirit Halloween is also home to costuming of all genres; characters that are scary, funny, shocking and even pretty, Vanscoy said.

 

A signature event of Spirit Halloween, the annual Zombie Walk is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 20, inside Meadowbrook Mall.

 

“From noon to 7 p.m. that day, people can come get their makeup done professionally by a make-up artist for a $25 donation,” Vanscoy said. “That includes blood and special effects in latex to make them look like awesome zombies.”

 

The Zombie Walk gets underway 7:30 p.m. just outside of Target. A special guest meet and great will be held from 4-7 p.m. More details will soon be released, Vanscoy said. 

 

Wrist bands to participate in the Zombie Walk will be sold for $5. Every penny raised through all donations benefits WVU Children’s Hospital. Last year, more than $26,300 was raised. 

 

The Zombie Walk, Spirit Halloween’s fifth annual, will end this year with a block party. Trophies will be presented for stand-out zombies.

 

“We’ll celebrate for a great cause,” Vanscoy said.

 

Spirit Halloween operating hours will be the same as Meadowbrook Mall hours: 10 a.m. through 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. Sunday. Spirit will be located at the main Elder-Beerman space, not the home store at the cinema end of the mall.