Halloween Store Will Help Hillsborough Get Its Ghoul On

A 10,000 square foot Halloween store is set to open inside the former Cost Cutters location on Route 206 is bringing more than a place to shop for Halloween goodies to town.

"Our big thing is our in-store experience," Bob Perlitz, a district manager for Spirit Halloween, said. "We'll have three displays with animatronics."

The displays—a "Haunted Mansion," a "Clown Train," and, of course, "Zombie Asylum"—will add a frightening aspect to the usual shopping experience, especially on late nights, which Perlitz said the stores work to set.

Spirit Halloween is a division of Spencer Gifts Co., with about 1,000 locations open in October. The company website promotes costumes for all ages, and also showcases some of the accessories and decorations available (personal favorite: 44 variations of Zombie babies...how cute!). While visiting the site, register for the company email newsletter, which Perlitz said includes coupons and special promotions. 

Perlitz said the store hours vary through the season, but will primarily be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Another key company program is "Spirit of Children," a program benefitting children's hospitals across the country. Perlitz said the company aims to raise $10 million nationally this year, and local donations will go to the Bristol-Meyers-Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center.

The store is slated to open Oct. 4 and is currently hiring help to work through the holiday. "We're going to be hiring until just before Halloween," he said, noting after the holiday, there will be plenty of cleaning up to do.