A Scary Family Affair

      Halloween isn't just for kids anymore, and retailers have discovered that the macabre holiday brings in more than pocket change in sales.
      Adult consumers, in search of a fun experience for themselves or something to do with their children, have transformed the once-juvenile occasion into a major marketing event for manufacturers, stores, shopping malls, restaurants, casinos and other businesses. Even some staid jewelry shops bedeck the display windows with creepy decorations in keeping with the spirit of the season.
      "This is our biggest (sales) holiday," said Wendy Simpson, assistant manager at Pretty Party Place, a party supply retailer, at 2718 N. Green Valley Parkway.
     

Nita Soltau, assistant manager at a Las Vegas Hallmark Showcase store, straightens up the Halloween display. Photo by John Gurzinski.

"We sell a lot of costumes, make-up and party decorations," Simpson said. "It's very much of a family thing for people. It's become more of an adult thing than for kids. People go to parties. There are parties where they work and they have to wear costumes to work."
      Halloween has become the second leading holiday in terms of sales after Christmas, according to the International Mass Retail Association. It ranks as the No. 1 holiday for candy sales, the Arlington, Va.-based trade group reported.
      Retailers will sell an estimated $950 million in candy this Halloween. They'll sell about 20 million pounds of candy corn, one of the most popular Halloween candies, according to the association's research.
      "Halloween is a holiday that encourages interaction between family members and is enjoyed by adults as well as children," said Robert Verdisco, the association's president.
      More adults are participating in Halloween as a way to spend time with their children, Verdisco said.
      Halloween merchandise -- from greeting cards to gifts to costume accessories -- has become a big sales category for Kansas City-based Hallmark Cards Inc.
      Consumers will exchange about 25 million Halloween cards this year, making it the eighth most popular card-giving occasion, said Michelle Keller, Hallmark's holiday expert.
      "The sights and sounds of this holiday make it a fun season for people of all ages. Consumers are increasingly seeking safer, friend- and family-oriented activities to celebrate the season," Keller said.
      One-third of all American adults will either host or attend a Halloween party this year, according to Hallmark research.
      "Progressive parties, with groups of friends and neighbors moving from house to house to celebrate, is a growing trend," Keller said.
      Halloween ranks as the No. 2 home-decorating holiday after Christmas, according to Hallmark.
      Local Hallmark stores reported strong sales of Halloween merchandise this week. Some stores sold out almost as quickly as merchandise was restocked, according to local managers.
      "This is a big holiday for Hallmark. It's a fun time of the year, and adults have really gotten into it. I think it brings out the kid in people," said Robin Bass, manager of the Hallmark Showcase in Best on the Boulevard, 3810 S. Maryland Parkway.