Halloween Store Comes to College Park

It's not just the cooler temperatures that hint fall is near.

Halloween City, a seasonal costume superstore on Baltimore Avenue, opened for business Saturday.

“What a great idea, especially for the college area,” said Calvin Lee, a College Park resident, while browsing the selection of costumes, face paint and decorations.

General manager Carl Bridges said the company picked this location because of its proximity to the University of Maryland. He hopes students will be drawn to the store to pick up costumes for Halloween and face paint for the football season.

This is the first time the store has opened in College Park, and reactions so far have been positive, Bridges said.

“After 4:30 we get a lot of families. The college students come on the weekend,” he said.

Before the store arrived, residents of College Park had to go to Largo to find a Halloween City, Bridges said. Now residents just have to drive up U.S. Route 1 for a selection of children, junior and adult costumes, ranging in themes that include the “Roaring '20s,” “Sultry '70s,” celebrities and various professions.

Halloween City also offers face paint, Halloween supplies, decorations and fog machines.

Party City, Halloween City’s parent company, has geared up every fall for the past 30 years to launch hundreds of temporary Halloween City stores throughout the country, with stores opening in Maryland for the first time two years ago.

College Park’s Halloween City hired 20 employees since August and is planning to double its workforce as October draws near.

According to Bridges, trucks come with new products every week and will continue to do so up until the week of Halloween. He said that 40 percent of the costumes are exclusive to Halloween City, meaning they aren’t at Party City.

On Nov. 5, employees will pack up the skeletons, pumpkins and costumes for the next Halloween.

Management is already planning to return to College Park next year.

“Hopefully, we’ll be closer to the university,” Bridges said.

Location: 9300 Baltimore Ave., College Park

Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.