Spirit Halloween haunts former stores in Metro Detroit
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Spirit Halloween. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Spirit Halloween is haunting the shells of former big-box stores again this fall with more than 15 locations open in Metro Detroit — and 1,500 nationwide.
The big picture: The stores appear and vanish each fall, so finding this year's Spirit often means relaying directions with neighbors in retail shorthand: "Where the old Party City used to be."
By the numbers: Of the locations analyzed by Axios, 153 — just over 1 in 10 — were labeled "Former Joann" stores in Spirit's locator.
- Joann closed all of its fabric and craft stores in 2025.
- Former Big Lots stores ranked second with 103 locations, followed by Party City with 100. Both chains shed hundreds of locations after bankruptcy.
Zoom in: Our Spirit locations are open and include former CVS and Walgreens, Joann stores and furniture stores.
Zoom out: Spirit, which bills itself as North America's largest Halloween retailer, relies on temporary leases to transform vacant storefronts into seasonal shops.
- The arrangements bring property owners exposure and a few months of rent while they search for long-term tenants.
- Spirit Halloween didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Go deeper: Shop local for Halloween needs