Costume stores open as Halloween creeps up

It’s no trick. The temporary Halloween stores are back in Central Florida.

Spirit Halloween superstore has opened 16 stores in Central Florida from Kissimmee to Sanford and from Waterford Lakes to Clermont.

Another chain, Halloween Megastore, has opened a location on South Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando.

Spirit opened its first temporary stores in Central Florida on August 12 and 13, taking vacant spots that once housed Sports Authority, HH Gregg and others.

“There were people coming in as soon as we opened,” said Erik Hodkey, district store manager for Spirit Halloween.

Spirit is expecting to open about 1,300 stores this year nationwide and hire 30,000 temporary workers.

Hodkey said he is expecting big crowds this year. New movies and TV shows such as “Stranger Things” and “Wonder Woman” should be big sellers, along with kid costumes such as PJ Masks and Paw Patrol.

Health inspections

Mount Dora’s Lakeside Inn restaurant failed a health inspection Aug. 24 and was temporarily shut down by a state health inspector.

An inspector found rodent droppings throughout the dish room, in a prep area and in a back room, according to a report from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Lakeside Inn is at 100 N. Alexander St., in downtown Mount Dora.

Co-owner Jim Gunderson said the rodent droppings could have been caused by a nearby building that was torn down and construction debris near the hotel. He said Lakeside Inn does have a pest-control company.

“We have never seen rodents in our kitchen,” he said.

The Lakeside Inn reopened Aug. 25 after a follow-up inspection.

Flavors Nigerian Restaurant in Orlando was also closed by an inspector during a visit on Aug. 24 for issues with roaches. The owner of Flavors was not available to comment.

Mexican food near Windermere

Agave Azul Cocina Mexicana is opening its second area restaurant near Windermere.

The Mexican restaurant signed a lease for a 5,000-square-foot spot at 5799 Winter Garden Vineland Road at the Windermere Village shopping center.

The original Agave Azul is at 4750 S. Kirkman Road in Orlando. Its dishes include fajitas, tacos, spicy ahi tuna salad, raspberry chipotle salmon and blueberry margaritas.

Agave Azul should open in the second or third quarter of 2018.

New stores in Altamonte Springs

Retailers Five Below, Famous Footwear and Spirit Halloween have opened in Altamonte Springs at the West Town Corners shopping center.

The center is located at the southwest corner of S.R. 434 and West Town Parkway, just south of S.R. 436 and across from Costco Wholesale.

Another store, Once Upon A Child, is set to open in the coming weeks.