Pop-up shops like Spirit Halloween are haunting more retail spaces than ever. They seemingly appear overnight and are generally open only 8 to 10 weeks out of the year.
Virginia Tech economic experts tell us this business model benefits both sides.
For landlords, some revenue is better than having the lot sit empty and as for these temporary holiday giants, they can open when it benefits them the most.
“If Spirit Halloween were open in the summer, they would still have to pay rent, they would still have to pay electricity, they would still have to pay employees, so it’s better to just be shut down and not operate rather than having a physical space and having to pay all those costs,” Jadrian Wooten, an economics professor at Virginia Tech said.
It’s also believed that this shutdown strategy helps nearby stores, bringing more people to businesses in the area.