By Elizabeth Stieber
Times Staff Writer

Time to break out the imaginations, kids (and adults), because Halloween is just a week away. So the big question remains: Where will you be shopping for your costume?
Halloween specialty stores have been popping up around the Northeast since the summer in preparation for one night. The largest chain in the Philadelphia area is Halloween Adventure, with 55 locations.
Founders (and brothers) Bruce and Darron Goldman grew up in the Northeast and started out selling stuffed animals at gas stations. Bruce is now the president of Halloween Adventure; Darron’s company in Florida makes costumes for the stores.
For the Goldman brothers, the road to success in the fright business began in the 1980s, when they sold Halloween items at a kiosk in Delaware County. Today, their chain operates in vacant mall stores, shopping centers and free-standing buildings throughout the city and in Pittsburgh, New York, Florida and California, with two permanent locations in New York City and Los Angeles.
“We built (our company) up in the Philadelphia area,” Bruce Goldman said. “We bring in our exclusive costumes and buy costumes from other major corporations.”
He said the stores have become a yearly tradition spanning two generations of Philadelphia-area customers. Those patrons remember visiting the costume shop when they were children, and now they bring their children, he said.
According to Joe Purifico, CEO of Halloween Adventure, preparations for the next selling season take almost a year, starting with annual costume trade shows.
“The first show is in December, and the trade show in March in Chicago is when we do our final buying,” Purifico said.
In June, the company begins to find retail space to accommodate the Halloween Adventure stores. In August, a merchant crew is hired to arrange a store’s floor layout and setup. Then, for two days, a crew of 40 workers is hired to stock the shelves with costumes and mount wall displays. By mid-August, the store is ready for business.
Managers and employees are hired to temporarily work at the various locations, and truckloads of merchandise arrive every Monday. As Halloween approaches, the stores’ budgets increase for more employees to accommodate the growing numbers of shoppers.
And for those who face the frightening prospect of being without a costume — on Halloween! — the stores are open for business even on the big night.
Once Halloween becomes a mere memory, some of the merchandise is marked down for special sales until the stores close during the first week of November. The remaining items are packed and stored in Halloween Adventure’s warehouse until next fall.
The Halloween industry is a profitable one. According to the National Research Foundation, retailers across the country are expected to rake in more than $6.9 billion in costume, decoration and candy sales this holiday season.
Purifico said that sales tend to start out slowly, but the last couple of weeks in October bring a rush that’s almost, well, scary and “tell the tale” of the holiday’s profit, he added.
What are the popular costumes? That pretty much depends on what movies or television shows have been popular over the past year, Purifico explained.
This year’s picks for boys are Spiderman and Star Wars characters. For the girls, Disney’s Tinkerbell, princess costumes and the rock-star look are in this year. Another favorite for both boys and girls is cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants.
Adults are leaning toward couple-oriented themes, Purifico said. Renaissance, Wizard of Oz and flapper costumes are big sellers. The Elvis costume is pretty hot, too.
At the Halloween Adventure store at 9908 Roosevelt Blvd., manager Bob Keith said that Spongebob, the Power Rangers and the Powerpuff Girls are the most popular costumes, but the adults are indulging on their own costumes.
“They’re spending more because the costumes are higher quality,” Keith said. “The holiday brings out the kid in everyone.”
The costumes are divided throughout the store by age appeal, customer gender and theme.
“I’ve sold three grass skirts . . . and none of them to women,” Keith said, pointing to the tropical Hawaiian wall.
The stores’ scope extends beyond Oct. 31. The season is the perfect time for customers to stock up for future theme parties. Keith said customers often stop by to purchase decorations and accessories for New Year’s Eve parties as well.
“We try to have something for everyone,” Keith said.
If a customer has a costume idea that the store can’t accommodate, an employee will get the person’s name and number so that the store can try to track down that costume.
Patrons also can find every imaginable decoration and ghoulish accessory. From black cauldrons to bloody eye balls, every item on display is available for sale. Even the giant wooden coffin exhibited at the front of his store has received offers from customers, Keith said.
Purifico, the CEO of Halloween Adventure, sees dressing up as a way for people to have a little fun and momentarily forget the turmoil of the past year.
“It’s a chance to let your hair down and forget your troubles for a day,” he said. ••
Reporter Elizabeth Stieber can be reached at 215-354-3036 or estieber@phillynews.com