A Spirit Halloween store is now open at 11185 W. Lincoln Highway in Frankfort. (Photo by Bob Bong)
Comings & Goings: Halloween stores are in full swing
By Bob Bong
Frost is in the air, pumpkin spice is everywhere and spooky decorations have exploded in front yards across the Southland, which means it’s time for the seasonal Halloween stores to start popping up like zombies from the boneyard.
Spirit Halloween, a seasonal retailer that operates in empty storefronts in the weeks leading up to Oct. 31, is planning on operating nine stores in the south suburbs and northwest Indiana. Most of them opened just after Labor Day.
Spirit stores are now open at 204 Orland Park Place in Orland Park in the former Stein Mart store, at 11185 W. Lincoln Hwy. in Frankfort in a former Sports Authority store, at 3128 Voyager Lane in a former Toys R Us location at Louis Joliet Mall in Joliet, at 9610 W. 98th St., at 17810 S. Halsted St. in Homewood in a former Party City store, and at 1600 N. State Route 50 at Northfield Square Mall in Bourbonnais.
In northwest Indiana, stores are now open or will be soon at 8333 Indianapolis Blvd. at Ultra Plaza in Highland, Ind., in a former Dollar General store, at 1525 U.S. 41 in Schererville in a former Dress Barn, and at 2881 E. 81st Avenue in Merrillville in a former The Room Place.
Spirit stores generally stay open through Halloween week and they are usually open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, until 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
For a complete list of stores in Illinois and northwest Indiana, visit www.spirithalloween.com.
Also open for those that want to get an early start on the season of the witch is a Halloween Land Superstore on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
The store at Ford City shopping center, 7601 S. Cicero Ave. opened Monday. There’s another store at 4632 W. Diversey in Chicago.
Halloween City stores can be found at The Annex, 8133 S. Cicero Ave. in Chicago, and at the Ford City Annex at 8141 S. Cicero Ave. in Chicago. Two stores in northwest Indiana are at the Crossings of Hobart, 2520 E. 79th Avenue in Merrillville, and at Highland Grove Shopping Center at 10429 Indianapolis Blvd. in Highland.
Party City said it would also be opening Halloween City stores inside select Party City locations in the Chicago area.
Local News
OLHMS educator nominated for Women Changing the World Award
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Heather McCarthy is constantly inspiring her students at Oak Lawn-Hometown to be everything they can be. As a woman and an educator, she believes all goals are obtainable. It was no surprise to her staff members or students at OLHMS, 5345 W. 99th Place in Oak Lawn, that McCarthy, of…
Contest Play from Richards wins state drama championship
Spread the loveThe Contest Play of “Macbeth” from Richards High School won first place last weekend at the Illinois High School Association competitive drama state finals. After years of finishing among the top productions, Richards won its first state crown in the category. Mike Badger, Jon Nebor, Lauren Davis, Claudia Baranowski, and Rick Keeley served…
OLHMS festival celebrates student cultures
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Oak Lawn students recently held a full day celebration of all of the cultures in the Oak Lawn Hometown Middle School community. Cleverly called International Fest or iFest, the day acknowledged 19 different cultures of students at the school at 5345 W. 99th Street in Oak Lawn. Cultures featured included…
Palos South basketball places 2nd in SWIC Conference, 1st in North Division
Spread the lovePalos South Middle School’s eighth-grade boys’ basketball team finished second in the post season Southwest Interscholastic Conference in March. The Cardinals completed the season with a 13-3 record and finished first in the North Division. During the championship game, the team lost 55-52 to undefeated Century Junior High following a last second 3-point…
Lightning starts fire in Orland Park home’s attic
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong A lightning strike Sunday afternoon caused a small fire in the attic of an Orland Park home in the 13200 block of Harvest Crossing in the Silo Ridge subdivision. Officials of the Orland Fire Protection District said the fire started around 5 p.m. Sunday when a storm rolled through the…
Larger crowds returning to Hills Chamber Business Expo
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Phyllis Majka, president of the Hills Chamber of Commerce, said the organization’s annual Business and Community Expo is an opportunity for everyone to gather after a long winter. The irony was not lost on Majka and chamber members that while the calendar indicates spring, snow flurries were falling outside. “But we are doing quite…
Orland voters to decide who has power between mayor and village manager
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There is no mayoral election going on in Orland Park this year but this has the feel of mayoral elections from the recent past. Keith Pekau’s foes are coming out in full force this year, comparing him to Lori Lightfoot and Vladimir Putin, which he doesn’t appreciate, by the way.…
Palos South friends, classmates miss Jake’s laughter
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong The halls at Palos South Middle School are not as loud as they used to be. That’s because Jake Kaminski isn’t around to make the other kids laugh. Jake died earlier this month in a skiing accident in Wisconsin. His family was trying to take advantage of the long Pulaski…
Woman’s club, cadets highlight cheerful Palos Park meeting
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The meeting before Tuesday’s election in Palos Park was free of controversy. After a few recent meetings were packed with people and featured some strife, the March 27 village council meeting was packed but full of joy and accomplishments. Many were on hand from the Palos Park Woman’s Club, an…
Chicago Ridge cops to get body cameras
Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly The Chicago Ridge Police Department is moving ahead with plans to purchase body cameras for officers, something that has been under consideration for a few years. Police Chief Jim Jarolimek told the Village Board at its March 21 meeting that the police department received a quote that day from Motorola…
Neighbors
OLHMS educator nominated for Women Changing the World Award
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Heather McCarthy is constantly inspiring her students at Oak Lawn-Hometown to be everything they can be. As a woman and an educator, she believes all goals are obtainable. It was no surprise to her staff members or students at OLHMS, 5345 W. 99th Place in Oak Lawn, that McCarthy, of…
Contest Play from Richards wins state drama championship
Spread the loveThe Contest Play of “Macbeth” from Richards High School won first place last weekend at the Illinois High School Association competitive drama state finals. After years of finishing among the top productions, Richards won its first state crown in the category. Mike Badger, Jon Nebor, Lauren Davis, Claudia Baranowski, and Rick Keeley served…
OLHMS festival celebrates student cultures
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Oak Lawn students recently held a full day celebration of all of the cultures in the Oak Lawn Hometown Middle School community. Cleverly called International Fest or iFest, the day acknowledged 19 different cultures of students at the school at 5345 W. 99th Street in Oak Lawn. Cultures featured included…
Palos South basketball places 2nd in SWIC Conference, 1st in North Division
Spread the lovePalos South Middle School’s eighth-grade boys’ basketball team finished second in the post season Southwest Interscholastic Conference in March. The Cardinals completed the season with a 13-3 record and finished first in the North Division. During the championship game, the team lost 55-52 to undefeated Century Junior High following a last second 3-point…
Lightning starts fire in Orland Park home’s attic
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong A lightning strike Sunday afternoon caused a small fire in the attic of an Orland Park home in the 13200 block of Harvest Crossing in the Silo Ridge subdivision. Officials of the Orland Fire Protection District said the fire started around 5 p.m. Sunday when a storm rolled through the…
Larger crowds returning to Hills Chamber Business Expo
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Phyllis Majka, president of the Hills Chamber of Commerce, said the organization’s annual Business and Community Expo is an opportunity for everyone to gather after a long winter. The irony was not lost on Majka and chamber members that while the calendar indicates spring, snow flurries were falling outside. “But we are doing quite…
Orland voters to decide who has power between mayor and village manager
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There is no mayoral election going on in Orland Park this year but this has the feel of mayoral elections from the recent past. Keith Pekau’s foes are coming out in full force this year, comparing him to Lori Lightfoot and Vladimir Putin, which he doesn’t appreciate, by the way.…
Palos South friends, classmates miss Jake’s laughter
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong The halls at Palos South Middle School are not as loud as they used to be. That’s because Jake Kaminski isn’t around to make the other kids laugh. Jake died earlier this month in a skiing accident in Wisconsin. His family was trying to take advantage of the long Pulaski…
Woman’s club, cadets highlight cheerful Palos Park meeting
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The meeting before Tuesday’s election in Palos Park was free of controversy. After a few recent meetings were packed with people and featured some strife, the March 27 village council meeting was packed but full of joy and accomplishments. Many were on hand from the Palos Park Woman’s Club, an…
Chicago Ridge cops to get body cameras
Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly The Chicago Ridge Police Department is moving ahead with plans to purchase body cameras for officers, something that has been under consideration for a few years. Police Chief Jim Jarolimek told the Village Board at its March 21 meeting that the police department received a quote that day from Motorola…
