Spirit Halloween Store Slated To Open In Escondido

ESCONDIDO, CA — It's now mid-September, which means the Halloween season has arrived — at least at the more than 1,400 seasonal Spirit Halloween stores that have opened nationwide, including a store scheduled to open Oct. 1 in Escondido.

The stores sell costumes, Halloween décor and accessories for children, teens and adults. These are the Spirit Halloween stores in San Diego County:

• Chula Vista: 565 Broadway (former Sears)
• El Cajon: 123 Fletcher Parkway (former Office Depot)
• El Cajon: 450 Fletcher Parkway (across from Parkway Plaza)
• Encinitas: 222 N. El Camino Real (former Staples)
• Escondido: 272 E. Via Rancho Parkway (former Halloween City tent) (planned to open Oct. 1)
• Lemon Grove: 7044 Broadway (former Anna's Linens) (planned to open Sept. 18)
• National City: 1117 Highland Ave. (across from Price Breakers)
• National City: 3010 Plaza Bonita Road (former John's Incredible Pizza) (planned to open Sept. 25)
• Oceanside: 3833 Plaza Drive (former Performance Bikes)
• Poway: 13644 Poway Road (former Stein Mart)
• San Diego: 1640 Camino Del Rio North (former Macy's)
• San Diego: 2790 Midway Drive (former Aaron Brothers)
• San Diego: 4711 Clairemont Drive, Suite A (across from Burlington Coat Factory)
• San Diego: 11610 Carmel Mountain Road (near The Baked Bear and Athens Cafe)
• San Marcos: 14 Creekside Place (former Staples) (planned to open Sept. 17)
• Santee: 240 Town Center Parkway (former Office Depot)
• Vista: 1861 University Drive (former Chuck E. Cheese)

The store allows online shopping by theme, so customers can filter costumes by TV show or movie, among other sections. Filters are also available by size, price or rating.

Spirit Halloween has Harley Quinn, Stitch and fox costumes among their featured popular buys more than six weeks ahead of the Oct. 31 holiday.

Be aware of the local mask policy before entering Spirit Halloween stores or any other brick-and-mortar business, even with the coronavirus pandemic having passed its year-and-a-half mark. San Diego County is following California Department of Public Health guidance that recommends everyone wear a face covering in indoor public settings, whether they have been vaccinated or not.

While Spirit Halloween does not specifically state masks are required for vaccinated customers, all employees — vaccinated and unvaccinated — are required to wear face coverings. The store also requires face coverings for all unvaccinated customers.

Hand sanitizer stations are posted at the store's entrance, and plastic shields are mounted around the registers.