Spirit Halloween says it's canceling its season opening event in Egg Harbor Township due to tariffs
Citing "international disruptions and supply chain challenges," spooky decoration and costume emporium Spirit Halloween announced it is canceling its annual grand opening event, which typically draws a large crowd to the Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, store in the heat of summer.
A statement on the decision was posted on Spirit Halloween's social accounts and SpiritHalloween.com.
While Spirit didn't use the words "tariff" or "tariffs" in the statement, international trade has been disrupted in 2025 after President Trump announced wide-ranging tariffs on goods from almost every foreign country, a move that has caused wild disruptions in the stock market and caused many companies to reassess how they do business.
Some Halloween lovers traveled from thousands of miles away for Spirit's 2024 season kickoff event and Chopper 3 showed a line snaking around the store outside.
Luckily for Halloween lovers, they plan to bring the event back in 2026.
Chopper 3/CBS News Philadelphia
Spirit says over 1,500 Halloween stores are on track to open in mid-August despite the grand opening event being off.
"The engines are on, and we're full speed ahead," Spirit said.
Known for its pop-up stores — the company owns no permanent physical storefronts, according to CBS MoneyWatch — Spirit has been praised for the yearly logistical feat in which it opens hundreds of temporary brick-and-mortar locations months ahead of Halloween, staffs and stocks them, and then disappears once the holiday is over.
Spirit Halloween also experimented with "Spirit Christmas" stores in 2024, opening 10 locations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
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