Stores busy with Halloween shoppers

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Customers poured into Dean's Party Mania Saturday, and will continue to fill its aisles through October 31st.

For folks like Matthew Crist and Mattie Thacker, Halloween is right up there with Christmas.

"Carving pumpkins, the music, decorations all over the houses, haunted houses," Thacker said.

Business like Dean's are enjoying the season right along with them.

In fact, this weekend is one of the busiest times of the year for the store.

"It started being overwhelmingly busy like Thursday, Friday, and of course today," Dean's Party Mania General Manager Amber Stephenson said.

Dean's employees said most of their customers are college students.

"We're really busy and usually it slows down about 8 o'clock because people start going out and going to the parties and everything that they prepare for a lot of last minute shoppers will shop from 8 to 10 tonight," Stephenson said.

"I'm going to a Halloween party as V from Vendetta," Crist said.

Dean's started ordering Halloween decorations back in March and recently hired extra staff.

"We're staying later, cleaning up, re-organizing and then we have the morning people will come in, straighten more and get more product out, fill in the shelves," Stephenson said.

It's the season of spooky.

For customers, it's a chance to get creative.

Businesses cash in, well after the parties and trick-or-treating are over.

Dean's said superhero costumes like Avengers, and themed parties have been popular this year.