Spooky Season Arrives: Spirit Halloween Opens in Ocala

ContributedSpirit Halloween has officially opened one location in the Ocala area with another on its way. Amber Battillo/352today

OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Cue the cobwebs, the creepy animatronics and a wall-to-wall lineup of costumes – Halloween season has officially landed in Ocala. Spirit Halloween has returned with not one but two seasonal stores, giving locals plenty of room to haunt the aisles in search of costumes, decorations and spine-tingling thrills.

The first store, Spirit Halloween Ocala East at 2637 E. Silver Springs Blvd., is already open for business. The second location, on the west side at 2606 SW College Road, is gearing up to open in September – just in time for shoppers who like to wait until the pumpkin spice really kicks in.

Entrance of the Spirit Halloween store in East Ocala with bright banners and signage.
The Ocala East location of Spirit Halloween welcomes shoppers with festive storefront displays.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today
Front entrance of the Spriit Halloween store in West Ocala with the store.
Spriit Halloween of West Ocala is expected to open in September.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today

Inside, customers will find Spirit’s usual mix of everything from princess costumes to full-blown horror movie icons ready to jump off the shelf. And for those who love decorating their homes as if they were haunted houses, shelves are already stocked with skeletons, animatronics and enough cobweb decor to make any porch look perfectly spooky.

Spirit Halloween, founded in 1983, has made a name for itself by transforming empty storefronts into immersive wonderlands of all things eerie. With more than 1,500 pop-up shops nationwide, the chain has become a sure sign that Halloween is creeping closer.

Display shelves lined with colorful children's costumes.
Rows of kids’ costumes are ready for families searching for the perfect Halloween outfit.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today
Display of SpongeBob SquarePants costumes and accessories inside Spriit Halloween.
Fans of SpongeBob can find fun nautical-themed costumes this season.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today
Display of horror-themed costumes featuring Terrifier's Art the Clown at Spirit Halloween.
Horror lovers will find chilling options like Terrifier costumes for a scarier Halloween look.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today
Interior set piece designed like a haunted subway inside Spriit Halloween.
One of the store’s featured displays is a haunted subway that sets the tone for Halloween thrills.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today
Decorative Halloween photo backdrop with themed props inside Spirit Halloween.
Shoppers can stop for a spooky photo op while browsing the aisles.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today

Of course, the fun doesn’t stop at shopping. Spirit Halloween also runs its Spirit of Children program, which raises money to support child life departments in hospitals across the country. Since 2007, the initiative has donated more than $127 million to bring holiday magic – and year-round support – to pediatric patients.

The Ocala East store is currently open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. Hours are expected to expand as Halloween approaches.

The west Ocala store will open in September, and once it does, the city will officially have double the chance to stock up on everything spooky.

So, whether you’re a planner who wants your costume ready weeks ahead or a thrill-seeker who just wants to get jump-scared by animatronics, Spirit Halloween has you covered. In Ocala, the countdown to Oct. 31 has already begun.