‘We’ll take the hit’; South side Halloween store combatting spooky price hikes

INDIANAPOLIS —Kids are gearing up to trick or treat, but this year’s Halloween prices are far from sweet.

“It’s definitely been pricey with the inflation and everything,” parent Ashley Allman said. 

U.S. consumers are expected to spend $13.1 billion this Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s up from $11.6 billion last year.

A south side Halloween store is working to keep people’s pockets full, though, by sticking to last year’s costume prices. 

”We’re not here to just take your money and leave,” Lynn’s Halloween Town Owner Summer Webber said. “We’re here for you, we’re here for the community.”

Lynn’s Halloween Town has been dressing people in boo-tiful costumes for the last four years. Even though they’ve had to dish out more money to stock shelves, Webber said the store is more about party than profit.

“With the prices being so high this year, I definitely paid an additional $10 for [some] costumes but I’m just not passing it on,” Webber said. 

She’s working to combat the costs families are spending elsewhere.

Heavy rain and crop disease have slashed cocoa production and pushed chocolate prices up. Cocoa costs have more than doubled since 2024, according to a Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute’s analysis. 

Meanwhile, the Halloween and Costume Association said Halloween products with Chinese components are vulnerable to a 30% tariff rate.

“These are times that these kids are never going to get back,” Allman said. “ … We’ll cut where we can and just keep going.”

The costs don’t seem to be scaring people away for now, however. Many are still willing to pay the price to party. 

Webber said no matter what someone is willing to spend on a costume, Lynn’s should be able to help out.

“Life is already stressful right now and we didn’t want to just pass on another stressful burden onto the parents,” Webber said. “We’ll take the hit.”