Halloween Connection has been keeping boos and ghouls in good spirits year after year

Pop-up stores come and go, often in different locations, under different names. They always have the sort of feel that someone is having a seasonal project to make some extra money. Who is this guy or gal? Did this stuff fall off of a truck? Did a factory in China decided to cut its prices?

There IS a seasonal pop-up store that is the direct opposite of this. The Halloween Connection is owned and operated by local Walter Mandeville who also owns Unplugged Toys in the Dartmouth Mall. See a theme here? Walter’s fondest memories in life drive him – memories of childhood. He gets a particular enjoyment seeing the new generation of kids walking in those same footsteps. He finds it highly rewarding to know that he is helping provide the necessary ingredients for some happy childhood memories.

The Halloween Connection, which has two locations -966 Kings Highway in New Bedford and 2 Galleria Mall Drive in Taunton – has been coming back year after year. 5 years running at these locations to be precise, though Halloween Connection has been around a few years more. This is no extra project – this is the career choice and livelihood of many.

Walter found his inspiration for the stores in the great success he would have throwing his own Halloween parties. He LOVES the holiday – the costumes, the role-playing, the props, the laughter and screams. It seemed opening a store would be the natural next step, and he began to use a few locations before settling permanently at the current locations.

Each Halloween, Walter would dedicate his time, money and lots of hard-work to make a party to remember. To fund his obsession and try to make each subsequent celebration a bigger, better one, he began to sell props and decor. The more he would sell, the more he would buy. Each season he would buy something different and learned the ins-and-outs on hundreds of different props, costumes and accouterments. Folks ranted and raved about the festive shin-digs and the rest is history.

So why in tarnation should you head to Halloween Connection this year? Halloween Connection is locally owned for one. The money you spend here won’t be benefiting some corporate headquarters in another state – it’ll benefit a staff and owners, all of whom are local.

Yeah, yeah – that’s all wishy-washy and trendy some of you will say: tell us something that matters. Well, how about this: the Halloween Connection has a bigger store and larger selection than anything you will see in a large, mega-chain store or any other pop-up store. They offer a much bigger selection on kids, women and men’s costumes, as well as accessories, masks, make-up/appliances, designer shoes, 70+ styles of contact to choose from and so much more. Top brands from industry leaders like Disney, In Character, Disguise, California Costume Collections, Inc., Dream Girl, Fun World and more.

One of the aspects of the Halloween Connection superstores that people have grown to love and has contributed to their popularity is that you can actually try the costumes on before you purchase them. There’s no going home to try them on and finding out something doesn’t fit. No return trip for exchanges!

And the bottom line? Yes, the prices – fret not. They won’t make you scream and remind you of the real horrors of Halloween: the amount of money you have to spend. They are as affordable or in most cases beat the socks off the prices you see in the big stores. You won’t have any nightmares, night terrors or sleep paralysis!

The staff at both stores is always a returning one. Who wouldn’t return when your job is working at a store filled with fun? Each person is there because they love the holiday and everything about it. They love that their “uniform” is a costume and that they get to help kids and adults alike find that perfect costume and one that fits their budget – it’s one smiling face after the other.

Because the superstores have costumes for ALL ages, including infants and adult-themes, it means you can bring the entire family to one spot and find costumes for everyone. Having a party? Not dressing up and are a yard or home decorator? You will be shocked by the sheer variety of props and decorations. Gravestones, fog machines, skeletons, backdrops, cut-outs, lighting, special effects, etc.

It will scramble your brains…if the undead didn’t eat them yet.

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