Halloween spending climbs to new record
Holiday’s popularity fuels a new record
Halloween’s popularity keeps growing, with Americans expected to spend a record $9.1 billion this year on costumes, candy, decorations and the like.
That’s according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), which since 2003 has conducted an annual Halloween spending survey.
This year, more than 179 million Americans plan to partake in Halloween festivities, the NRF says, up from 171 million last year when spending was $8.4 billion.
The top costume for children in 2017 is an
action hero or superhero, the NRF survey found, while the top pick for adults is a witch.
“I actually have a surprising number of children wanting to be scary things this year. They want to be scary clowns or monsters,” said Susan Stringer, manager of Beauty and the Beast Costumes at 3708 Dayton Blvd. in Red Bank. “Or maybe I get all the cool kids.”
The 2017 film version of horror author Stephen King’s book “It” has made the character Pennywise the Dancing Clown a hot costume.
“Pennywise is ‘it’ this year — in more ways than one,” Stringer said. “The adult-size ‘It’ stuff is going crazy.”
Discount stores and specialty Halloween stores are where most Americans plan to do their spending, the survey said.
That jibes with Stringer’s experience. Clearance items have sold well this year at her Red Bank store, which marks 28 years in business.
“Overall, sales are definitely up,” she said. “We’re doing more small sales.”
Thrift stores capture about 10 percent of Halloween spending, the survey said.
Halloween is a bigger shopping event than Christmas at the America’s Thrift Stores outlet near Northgate Mall in Hixson, said Pat Madden, the store’s assistant manager.
“We have tons of new Halloween accessories and costumes,” she said. “And being a thrift store we also have vintage clothing and items you can use to make your own costumes.”