LITTLE ROCK — Halloween is one part of the economy that isn't scary.
The National Retail Federation reported last week that sales are expected to rise 14 percent to $5.77 billion this year. The federation estimates customers will spend about $66 each.
No wonder Halloween-theme stores are popping up like zombies in a George Romero movie. There are three Halloween Express stores in central Arkansas, a new Spirit Halloween in Fayetteville and a Halloween Bootique in McCain Mall. And that's not counting the expansion of Halloween merchandise in gift, discount and department stores.
Last year, Shop Talk staked out Spirit Halloween. This year, we're haunting Halloween Express and its new location at the former Comp USA store in Little Rock.
Step through the automatic door and the squeamish just might stop in their tracks. Standing figures - some topping 6 feet in height - welcome shoppers, including a towering Grim Reaper ($199.99), a mummy ($129.99) and a very cool comic/ horror icon Pinhead ($499.99). Eyes flash and voices rumble as a witch floats by ($69.99).
There's a fine array of costumes, masks and accessories. Witches, goblins and ghoulies are still around, although they've been joined by movie and comics characters. A fine costume of Cartman from South Park is $49.99. Pirates, especially from the Caribbean, are stillhot. The popular High School Musical movies have spawned several costumes ($32.99), Star Wars has a fleet of outfits and there are scads of options for children, adults and pets in a wide array of prices (starting at $13.99).
And yes, there are a number of sexy looks for women and men, including a line of Playboy costumes (topping $100) and a number of decidedly "adult" options.
Masks include the political - Bill and Hillary Clinton ($18.99 each) and George W. Bush ($19.99) - plus ghoulish clowns ($12.99), a superb Lady Liberty with a skull face ($64.99) and an amazing dragon ($69.99). You'll need a store associate to retrieve the pricier masks, including Day of the Dead, which are displayed out of reach.
Home decor includes the hilarious Medusa Lisa hanging wall art ($9.99), a Bag O' Bones ($9.99), glow-in-the-dark skeleton ($7.99), a giant cockroach ($29.99), a cool skull wreath ($18.99), eyeball and skull doorknob covers ($4.99) and Wall Grabbers ($3.99), wall decals that suggest something ghoulish is coming through your wall. We also loved the skeleton hand votive light ($9.99), the tombstone screamers ($1.99) and the throbbing heart ($14.99).
WHAT A BARGAIN: Spider rings are 10 cents, wax lips are 99 cents and vampire teeth are 20 cents. We also found a few items marked down 50 percent, including a wonderful set of haunted books (originally $29.99) with a moving volume and a great laugh (originally $29.99) and a delightfully disgusting large rat caught in a trap (was $6.99).
WHAT AN INDULGENCE: A towering Michael Meyers figure from the film Halloween is posed with a dagger and a $999.99 price.
SERVICE WITH A SMILE: Yes, and shudders are free.
SHOPPING DETAILS
Halloween Bootique, level two, McCain Mall, North Little Rock, (501) 753-1352 Open: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 12:30-6 p.m. Sunday
Halloween Express, 801 S. Bowman Road, Little Rock, (501) 223-9151;5121 Warden Road, North Little Rock, (501) 955-2006 Open: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Conway Towne Center, 201 Skyline Drive, Conway, (501) 336-6511. Open: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday, www.halloweenex press.com.
Spirit Halloween, 105 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, (501) 978-5100. Open: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Fayetteville: 3825 N. Shiloh Drive, (479) 695-1080, www.arkansashalloween.com.
Shopping tips? E-mail:
Weekend, Pages 83 on 10/10/2008