Spirit Halloween Store 2010
September 9th, 2010 by John Wolfe
Spent a few hours in paradise a couple of days ago… well, paradise for a Halloween fanatic anyway. I’m in my mid-30s, yet I still get butterflies just walking through Spirit Halloween’s doors! As always, Chris (the owner of all three Albuquerque Spirit locations) and the employees were tremendously kind and helpful. I can’t say enough nice words about the people who work at my local Spirit shops.
Hope you enjoy the video tour. Just a heads up in case kids are watching alongside you: there’s some colorful language at the end of the vid, but I thought the clip was too funny to not include it (especially for a known potty mouth like me). 
Music Source: “Darkly Everafter” from the album Grimm Tales by Nox Arcana
If you happen to be in the Albuquerque area and want to drop by Spirit Halloween, you’ll find them at 4610 Cutler Avenue, NE, (505) 872-2786 and at 1221 South Renaissance Blvd. NE (slated to open on Sept. 13th), (505) 872-2786.
On the west side, Spirit can be found at 10490 Coors Blvd. Bypass NW in the old Circuit City building — sorry, but I don’t have their phone number. If you go to the west side shop, ask for Harold (he’s the “Grim Greeter” in today’s vid entry), he’ll take good care of you.
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September 9th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Eeeeeeeeeee, you’ve just fed my addictive obsessed Halloween energy John….thank you kindly. I also wanted to say a huge thanks for being so incredibly thoughtful regarding our young children who are fans of your website as well. We do deeply appreciate all of the heads up you give us along the way.
This was a great video Sweetie!!! I’ve got to say though I DO have a favorite moment in this video. Know where? Know what I’m thinking….betcha do! Your adorable hearty laugh at the 3rd strike, which was no strike at all, was absolutely priceless. That sounded like a strong and real laugh shared in a moment of absolute surprise. It was worth the wait, was it not? Most great things are always worth the wait my friend. In fact when “B” heard your laugh, it made him look at me (from playing with his toys) and share the laugh at the same time. Laughter is such great medicine.
Your lucky your Spirit stores are so kind to you John. Mine around here are great, don’t get me wrong, but it seems like everything has to be cleared by their corporate office. Go figure coming from the west coast. You would think they would be more super chill about it than New Mexico so your most lucky in having them be so flexible. Moreover, I’m starting to think your a permanent fixture at those Spirit stores around this time of year. Can’t say I blame you. Wouldn’t you like to just call that store home! Deck out your entire pad like that of the Spirit store? Second thought, your not in control of your home…..the cats are! Having said that, guess you’ll just have to stick to one room for now that is yours and let the cats have run of the rest of the place.
I ADORED your choice of music John. It was perfect to fit the vibe of the video. I just love Nox Arcana’s tunes and this track really did set the mood for this video. Excellent choice my dearest friend. It sounds like you had an awesome play day…..something you more than deserve.
September 9th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Hahah good video. The unsuspecting victims walking into Halloween stores always kill me. You’d think most people would be prepared for things like that, although I know it isn’t that easy to hide a reaction no matter how prepared for it you are.
Looks like they’ve got some good stuff. I noticed, when you panned some of the masks, a scarecrow mask I’ve been wanting. I think evil/creepy scarecrows are the most eerie things.
September 9th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Goldie,
I sure was surprised when the lady reacted in the manner that she did! I expected her to jump a little, but never did I think I was going to hear her say what she said. It was great! Yeah, my laugh was totally spontaneous on that one. I’m ready to go back and get some more reactions on video, but this time on the weekend when it’s a lot busier. I’m planning on making another episode in the Halloween Haunter’s Reality videos this winter, so the next batch of Grim Greeter scare clips I get will be added to the next HHR installment. That’s so cool the baby was inspired to laugh at me laughing, too! I’d love to have seen a video of him cracking up at me laughing out loud.
I’m certainly appreciative of what Chris and his team allow me to do each year in not only filming the stores, but also in displaying my flyers, and this year my business cards too. They’ve been really good to me and Season of Shadows and I count my blessings that they’re in my area.
While I don’t have a lot of Spirit Store items, my Halloween room is starting to slowly accumulate more and more great Halloween knickknacks. But heck yeah, I’d totally love to have their display floor as my whole house or even just my living room! I’ll have to do a little remodeling — a door here and a door there to keep the cats out of that area of the house.
Glad you enjoyed Nox’s Darkly Everafter alongside the visuals! Thanks. Though Spirit Halloween features spooky items, it’s all in a well-lit environment, so I wanted music that had dark elements, but also a mixture of the whimsical to represent both the light and dark. I felt Darkly Everafter captured it pretty well.
I had a great time all the way around — from visiting Spirit, filming and getting to meet some great folks, to working on editing the video! Thanks for watching and for your awesome comment, Goldie.
Doug,
I think what also threw the customers was the fact this is the first year (to the best of my knowledge) that the west side store has had anyone doing scares like that. Years past, no one did anything remotely close to startle scares, so it’s really a good change and it’s keeping them on their toes.
Harold (the Grim Greeter) told me he’s even been doing it out in the parking lot, sort of like how they entertain the lines at haunted houses. I loved the whole thing and how high-energy he was — really oozing with great Halloween spirit!
They do have some really good items. Unfortunately, their main gallery of animated props wasn’t ready to go yet, but I’ll grab some video of them on my next trip. I hear you about those evil/creepy looking scarecrow masks! I’m a fan of the Scarecrow villain from Batman for that reason.
September 9th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Very fun!! I am sure there is one open in our area…..someday I will crawl out of my cave and find it!!
Thanks for the virtual tour!
Cheers!
September 9th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Oooo John, if you do go back on the weekend, and yes they would be much busier, can you hide somewhere really good yet still get that great camera angle? I noticed in most of everyone’s reaction they saw YOU first and the camera and then the Grim Greeter. If that were me walking in the store and saw you first, I would absolutely expect a scare anytime soon. However, if you or the camera is hidden while you linger around off at a distance, then you won’t be giving away that something is about to happen. I LOVE the vid, please know I’m just sharing….and if you REALLY want to catch the visitors off guard….be invisible yourself yet filming their reaction.
LoL do people even say that anymore, “filming”……lol I think everything is “tapping” but not filming. Regardless you know what I’m getting at and given how great this last video was, I HIGHLY encourage you to make another one
It truly looked like, and felt, like you were a kid in a candy store. With feelings and good emotions like that who wouldn’t want to repeat it and get some more….so to speak 
As is your on quite the roll already dear friend!!!
September 9th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Thanks so much for sharing your Spirit video. If I even attempted that here in Atlanta I’d end up with a video of me being escorted out by security. The Spirit by me is not even close to opening so I appreciate you taking the time to feed my addiction! Nice editing work too! Keep in touch!
September 10th, 2010 at 12:17 am
This is great. I’m gonna try to sign up for a job at my local Spirit Store. It’s not nearly as cool as the one in your area John. Oh well.
September 10th, 2010 at 10:44 am
The Frog Queen,
You’re very welcome… it was my pleasure. Great to hear from you! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Goldie,
I wish there was a place to hide while shooting the video, but the entrance is completely open with no props (other than the coffin) or anything to duck behind. But you gave me a good idea, though. When I go back, I’ll take my tripod and set it up behind the coffin lid — with just a little bit of the camera peeking over, it should conceal everything a lot better.
Yeah, I still say “filming” too, even though there’s no tape or film in the camera. Just like how I still call CDs and even digital song collections and playlists “albums.” Guess my terms are starting to help show my age.
Kid in a candy store’s about right. That’s probably the closest I’ve come to dancing in quite a while, and no one needs to see that!
Victor,
You getting escorted out might make for an entertaining video too!
I’m surprised your Spirit hasn’t opened yet. But I bet your Garden Ridge has some great Halloween stuff! I miss Garden Ridge from the late ’80s when we lived in San Antonio, Texas… back then they called it Garden Ridge Pottery.
Always great to hear from you, my friend! Thanks for the kind words about the vid — I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Edward,
Thanks! I wish you all the best. I’m sure you’ll get the job, no problem.
September 10th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
LOL! I could watch people getting scared all day long! That’s weird, huh?!? Watching this reminded me so much of working as a Ghost Town Street monster in full facial prosthetic at Knott’s for their Halloween events. Once people got scared they would step to the side and watch other people get scared and laugh and laugh. Hearing them laughing would almost make me break character and make me start cracking up too! Sometimes they’d clap if I really flattened somebody. Nothing quite like little 110lb me being able to bring a linebacker sized guy to the floor from fear. Ah, good days.
But this guy has a hard gig. We had darkness and fog and sound effects. He’s got bright daylight, no fog and Blondie singing “Rapture” in the background. I think he’s doing well considering what he has to work with. And Goldie is right, hearing your laugh, John, really makes it all the more wonderful!
Thank you for the heads up about the language. K understands that sometimes adults say things that little kids shouldn’t repeat- especially at school. We don’t make a big thing of it because I think if you make things like that absolutely taboo then it creates too much of a sense of mystery and enticement for kids. We prefer to shrug it off and pay no mind.
“Keep the cats out”?!? “KEEP THE CATS OUT?!?!????” What?!? Oh, no no no!! Kitties want to enjoy Halloween too! A little bit of cat fur added to cobwebs just ups the creepiness factor (..or so I tell myself.)
As a woman who has cleaned up cat paw prints that have walked through paint and then across my floor I can appreciate wanting to keep your kitties out but on behalf of your cats I say NO! Let the cat friends free range, let there be cat fur dust bunnies under the sofa to spook people right along with the Halloween props…. in other words, welcome to *my* living room! LOL! 
September 10th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Oh yes I remember working at the spirit halloween store here in Buffalo NY two years ago. It was so much fun! I got to check out all the props and picked some up with my employee discount. I never did get a chance to greet people in the entrance . I`m still bummed about that. But I did have the time of my life with the hidden fart machine. lmao!!! The best was when old people came in with their grand kids and they walked by and
( fffaaaarrrrtttt) the kids looked at the grand parent like , Did you do that grandma?! And the grand parents are looking around ,and thinking , what the ? Who did that? LMAO!!!!!! I almost wet myself lol good times good times
September 11th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Camile,
Oh, wow! I’d love to have seen your scare tactics at Knott’s! Places like that would be a ton of fun to visit. We don’t have amusement parks like that in New Mexico, at least not anything that goes all out for Halloween. If your interest in watching people getting scared in a fun way makes you weird, then I’m right there being a weirdo with you!
Great job on picking out the Blondie tune from that short clip! I was singing Rapture for a couple of days after filming. Don’t forget the Grim Greeter’s also up against trying to scare people to Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s “Telephone” song, too.
I think Telephone was playing when the woman gave her great four-letter-word reaction. Speaking of which, I’m glad you’re very up front with Kieran about things like the use of language by adults, but you’re also really casual about it too. I think you’re absolutely right — shrugging it off and being casual is the best way to take the path of least resistance about the whole thing. By treating it that way, children won’t be so interested in trying to repeat that type of talk.
Of course, part of what I found so funny was the language the lady used when she did get scared, but that’s just my sense of humor at work. And I’m glad my reaction was something you enjoyed too. Thanks for saying so, cause I did toy with the idea of cutting that clip immediately prior to my laughter, but now I’m glad that I didn’t.
LOL… fur and dust bunnies I’m totally cool with, but my guys are more like mountain lions than they are house cats. I try to let one of them in my Halloween room/office from time to time and his immediate reaction is to chew up any of the props that have stringy hair or shredded garments. He even chews through the strings on my mini blinds. All the windows in my house have blinds halfway torn apart, so there’s not much privacy… LOL! And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, Camile. I love ‘em like crazy, but my cats are a total unique trip in how they behave, or better said, how they choose not to behave.
Thanks for watching and for leaving such a great comment, my friend.
ssflipo13,
Spirit employees have a blast! I’d love to be a fly on the wall in one of those places.
Thanks for sharing your funny experience — that’s great! It reminds me of those videos on YT that “Nalts” creates where he puts kids in his family up to pulling practical jokes on people out in public. If you haven’t seen those, you gotta check ‘em out — I know you’d like ‘em.
My uncle wanted to buy one of those machines and hide it in my grandpa’s jacket pocket. Then, while out in public, my uncle (or I) would operate the remote control as my grandpa came in close proximity to other people!
My grandpa is hard of hearing so he wouldn’t have been able to hear the machine, but we never did try it.
Thanks, ssflipo13, for giving me a good laugh!
October 17th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
walk into a spirit store and it was crazzy . he jump out on us and we jump
October 18th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Yeah, Harold’s good at those startle scares! He gets a lot of people on the weekends, especially. Thanks for visiting and have a great Halloween!