Word: halloween
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Despite the recession, Halloween is hotter than ever. According to IBISWorld, a market-research firm, Halloween sales will reach a record-breaking $6 billion in 2009, up 4.2% from last year. Retailers from Biloxi, Miss., to Brooklyn, N.Y., are reporting strong Halloween revenue. Over the past four years alone, the Halloween industry - which includes costumes, candy, decorations and greeting cards - has grown a remarkable 48.5%. The holiday even broke sales records in 2008, when the economy was a real horror show. "A year ago, Halloween was all about escaping a crisis," says Toon van Beeck, a senior analyst for IBISWorld...
Plus, some traditions are sacred. "Everywhere you spend less because you make less," says Sophia Soloway, 24, a former personal shopper who is now studying journalism at New York University. "But I'm still going to get my costume. Halloween is my favorite holiday." Soloway is going to a party as a corpse's bride. Cost...
...Halloween's resilience in the face of a recession would seem to make some sense. It's relatively cheap fun, and parents aren't about to steal candy from their babies by grounding trick-or-treating. The kiddies, however, aren't driving the growth. "Sales of adult items are surprisingly strong," says Nick Pardasani, CEO of costumes4less.com, an online retailer. "Children's costumes used to dominate. Now it's about half and half." Pardasani says his sales are up 40% this year. Michael Jackson, Bernie Madoff and Kate Gosselin outfits are flying off the shelves, according to Spirit Halloween. (Read...
...Halloween so hip with retail's favorite demographic, the 18-to-34 set? Start with the escape factor. Grownups yearn to be sexy nurses and rock stars. Halloween gives them license to live out that fantasy, at least for one night. Plus, nostalgia plays a role. "When I was small, we all dressed up to trick-or-treat," says Amaya. "Then as a teenager, costumes weren't cool. You wanted to do the shaving-cream thing. Now I want to dress up as if I were a kid again. It's weird...
...give the calendar full credit. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, purging all fear of a desk-side hangover. "That's a huge reason why we're throwing the party," says Amaya. "Let's just do it up." Recession-style, however: "Don't get me wrong, I'll be charging $5 at the door," says Amaya. "I need to get something back...