NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Halloween decorations and candy have been on store shelves for weeks. Fans may know the holiday is big business, but they may not know by just how much. Halloween took a hit in 2020 with fewer people trick-or-treating or hosting parties. This Oct. 31 may be a very different story.
Not everybody wants a 9 to 5 office desk job. Daniel Quarrick didn't.
"It's kinda funny to see people jump," he smiled, standing in a room full of animatronic witches and skeletons.
Quarrick's at Ultimate Party Superstore in Hendersonville.
"Witches' brooms," he said, touring the aisles. "Some of them might even work, you never know. You're kinda in fantasy land for a little while. The best part is you're helping people. People coming in asking about 'Hocus Pocus,' 'Nightmare Before Christmas,' 'Stranger Things.'"
Shops like this place are getting their wish in 2022. The National Retail Federation is expecting the biggest season of Halloween spending ever.
For years before the pandemic, Halloween generated $9 billion. 2020 saw costume and candy sales drop, taking the total amount Halloween made to $8 billion. It's still a big number, partly because outdoor decoration sales were so strong. Many people now feel safer to celebrate.
The National Retail Federation breaks Halloween spending into three major categories: decorations, costumes, candy.
Americans spent around $10.14 billion in that in 2021, a record high then. The same group believes 2022 could see $10.6 billion. They believe the average American is expected to spend a little more than $100.
"It's exciting coming from the retail standpoint," said Quarrick.
Quarrick's very non-desk office job work home is happy to see Halloween is back.
