- Spirit Halloween is expanding its Spirit Christmas concept to 30 pop-up stores across the Northeast and Great Lakes, up from eight in its 2023 debut.
- The holiday-themed pop-ups will include immersive experiences like “Peppermint Village” and in-store Santa photo sessions through a partnership with Cherry Hill Programs.
- Seasonal retail pop-ups help landlords monetize vacant retail space through short-term leases during key shopping periods.
Spreading More Than Halloween Spirit
Spirit Halloween is known for turning empty storefronts into Halloween havens, reports CoStar. Now, the brand is transforming once again for the holiday season. This time, it’s bringing more tinsel than tombstones. After a trial run last year, the company is bringing back Spirit Christmas, its festive retail concept designed to capture the magic of the season.
Quadrupling Footprint
Spirit Christmas will grow to 30 locations this year, nearly four times the number it launched with in 2023. The stores will pop up across 12 states, including New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, with a focus on the Northeast and Great Lakes regions.
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Inside The Stores
This year’s rollout adds Peppermint Village, an immersive in-store experience featuring holiday decor, exclusive gifts, festive apparel, and interactive elements. A key draw: Santa photo ops, thanks to a collaboration with Cherry Hill Programs, a holiday photography company.
Short-Term Strategy, Long-Term Impact
Spirit Halloween—and now Spirit Christmas—follows a seasonal retail model that offers benefits for both the brand and landlords. These pop-ups typically lease vacant retail space for around three months. They help turn underused properties into revenue-generating locations during peak shopping seasons.
Cultural Staple With Room To Grow
Spirit Halloween continues to operate around 1,500 locations annually. It has become a pop culture icon. Meanwhile, Spirit Christmas is emerging as a new seasonal staple. The concept taps into the growing demand for experience-based retail during the holidays, especially as traditional malls and brick-and-mortar stores evolve.
Looking Ahead
Spirit Christmas shows early signs of becoming more than a holiday experiment. The brand now has a stronger focus on interactivity and festive immersion. It could follow in the footsteps of its Halloween sibling. Spirit Christmas may become a recurring part of the US retail calendar.
