Scaring Up Sales Halloween Trends at Party Stores

In a year of pandemic uncertainty, Halloween revelers returned to the classics. Party retailers interviewed for this article reported strong demand for costumes and piñatas themed around witches, skeletons, pumpkins and vampires.

Uncertain inventory was probably a factor. “People were buying whatever was in stock,” said Manager Mitch Lotenberg at Party Fair in Oakhurst, N.J. Even so, Lotenberg noticed less interest in licensed costumes tied into the latest movies or superhero characters. “People are tired of those generic items. They want to create their own costume and to be original about it,” Lotenberg observed.

At Party Fair, angels and cowboy hats were popular, and many clients were dressing up with nostalgic decade themes, like the 1950s and ‘70s. “I’ve seen the 1920s getting more popular because we’re in the 2020s, 100 years later,” Lotenberg explained. To sell more Halloween merchandise at the 10,000-squarefoot store, his philosophy is to have a wide variety of materials to inspire patrons’ creativity. “Nobody wants to be the same pirate as everyone else. Carry different styles of pirate shirts, not just one. Different weapons, types of swords. Let people make things their own.”

Rose Ramirez sees the same quest for uniqueness at Mercedes Piñatas & Party Supplies, her shop in the T Anchor Flea Market. While this year brought strong demand for witch and pumpkin items, Ramirez said people come to Mercedes for its distinctive merchandise. “Our piñatas are different from what you see in all the other stores, so we get a lot of Halloween business,” she said.

Ramira said the secret to success is carrying a variety of

“Tissue paper comes from wood, and the price of wood has soared, so something that used to be $20 now costs $60 to $70. Each pinata takes me three and half hours to construct. Imagine if I work 12 hours, how much I can actually make.” products, allowing customers to customize their holidays. Piñatas shaped like three-tier cakes, numbers and stars, many stuffed with balls, sell well because they’re “something you don’t normally see around here,” she noted. This Halloween, Mercedes also moved a lot of treat bags, along with 10- and 20-pound bags of candy. But it’s too early to speculate about 2022, Ramirez said. In this uncertain business climate, “I’ll think on that one when we get closer.”

- Francisco Rodriguez, Casa de Piñata, Albuquerque, N.M., explaining how the fragile economics of a small artisan business can collapse under the strain of inflation.

Next year, the Justo family of Albuquerque will get an earlier start to meet demand for their Halloween piñatas at their business, Piñata Party. “It was such a rush this year; people were buying them constantly,” said Owner Tobias Justo Trinidad , who’s family crafts each piñata in house. “We had to start a few weeks earlier. Next Halloween, we’ll get going a month in

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