Spirit Halloween returns to the Valley for first time since 2017

WASILLA,— The spirit of all Hallow’s Eve has possessed the former Sears building off the Parks Highway.

Spirit Halloween is back in the Valley after a three-year hiatus, finally able to fill a building large enough for their wide range of costumes, animatronics, and other spooky goods.

“Halloween is unique as a holiday. Christmas has a lot of stress attracted to it... Halloween is just about having fun. That responds well to a lot of people,” Consignment operator John Domeracki said.

Domeracki oversees all the Spirit Halloween locations across Alaska. The Valley features one of four total locations. There are two in Anchorage and one in Fairbanks. He said the Wasilla location opened up Sept. 12 and will stay in operation until Nov. 2.

“It’s been very positive,” Domeracki said. “We would be in Wasilla every year if we could.”

Spirit Halloween has over 1,400 temporary locations across the United States and Canada. No store is ever a permanent location. Domeracki said there’s a Spirit in every state and province. All stores operate under short term leases in vacant buildings with appropriate accommodations that vary year by year.

“We just kinda work with whatever opportunities are available that year,” Domeracki said.

According to Domeracki, Spirit Halloween has been in Alaska since 2012. He said Spirit has been the only store that’s solely centered on Halloween in the state since 2015.

“We only do Halloween… People have really seemed to respond well to it,” Domeracki said. “We easily have the best assortment. That is our business.”

Domeracki said every year, Spirit stores feature new decorative arrangements to show off their wide selection of Halloween related wares. Shoppers and their children can get a free scare just by walking by one of their animatronic displays.

“We create a fun environment,” Domeracki said.

Spirit Halloween collects donations for local children’s hospitals each year through the Spirit of Children program.

Since 2007, Spirit of Children has raised $65 million to provide Child Life funding for art, music, aquatic and pet therapy programs in addition to providing educational items and toys used for distraction during medical procedures, according to their website.

People can donate at the register or by visiting Spirit’s website. Donors are encouraged to share their support with the hashtag, “#SpiritofChildren” on social media.

For more information, visit spirithalloween.com.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com