Halloween has become an annual tradition, with residents competing to see who has the spookiest house in their neighborhood.
Just as people have grown accustomed to seeing colorful lights, inflatable Snoopy Santas and other decorations in their neighborhood yards at Christmas, they’ve also grown accustomed to fake murder scenes, startling animatronics and a 12-foot skeleton.
Halloween decorations on display at Lowe’s
Halloween specialty stores may be a source of these scary scenes, but they’re not the only option.
Believe it or not, hardware stores have become a favorite among Halloween enthusiasts.
Skeletons, zombie pirates and devil statues now share display space with tools, lighting fixtures and landscaping equipment.
The horror continues online.
For example, Home Depot’s website suggests Halloween themes like “Graves and Bones” and “Aged Horrors.”
“Create a frightening scene and scary atmosphere with classic spooky characters like Chucky and the Headless Horseman,” suggests the page, which also offers Halloween inflatables, glow-in-the-dark pumpkins and smoke machines.
Similarly, Lowes is selling a 12-foot lighted animatronic scarecrow complete with a creepy scythe for $399.
At Moorestown Hardware, owners Pete and Julie Bender start attending shows in January to find Halloween items.
“We’re mainly looking to buy unique items and general items that customers want,” Pete Bender said, noting that the couple sometimes travels to Atlanta to do their Halloween shopping.
“We try to get things that don’t over-price customers,” he said.
Hardware stores are also doing a good job selling spooky items.
For example, Home Depot announced its 2024 lineup in mid-June, with online sales set to begin on July 18.
The announcement touted the inclusion of a 12-foot-tall animated airborne Grim Reaper, a 7-foot-tall skeletal dog and a 5.5-foot-tall animated Valley of Fear wolf to terrorize your lawn.
Priced at $379, the Night Dulahan is expected to be a hot item at Home Depot this Halloween season.
“This year we’ve increased realism, created memorable licensed characters and brought back fan favorites,” said company president Rance Allen.
Social media groups have formed around Home Depot and other hardware stores for people to socialize, discuss, and show off their latest toys.
“I went to Home Depot today to get supplies for a project and was lucky enough to find and purchase two gargoyles that I’ve always wanted,” posted Michael Mosteller, a member of the Facebook group Home Depot Halloween Haunters Club.
“I’ve seen killer maples and things like that at both of those stores,” Mosteller added, who declined to name the stores to prevent others from buying them for resale.
Another member of the group, Erin Seiden, posted a photo of six skeletons sitting at a dining table.
“I’m just taking one and enjoying it before giving it to my friends who helped me buy a six pack,” she wrote. “What are you all naming these kids?”
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/uD1JqSSGrswB6j2S/
Home Depot has been selling Halloween merchandise since 2013, Allen said.
The company’s 12-foot-tall, $379 skeleton, “Skelly,” has “always been a fan favorite,” Allen said.
“But there are some standout collections and products this year,” he continued.
In this category, Allen cited Knight Dulahan, an 8.5-foot animated skeletal horse and rider, and “an extremely poseable skeleton.”
Staff writer Jim Walsh contributed to this report.
Nick Butler is an impact reporter for the Courier Post, Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering community news in Southern New Jersey. If you have a tip or story, contact him at NButler@Gannett.com. Subscribe to stay up to date.
Home Depot is selling a 7-foot tall skeleton dog this Halloween season.
This article originally appeared in the Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Selling Halloween decorations is the new norm for hardware stores
