Description

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Ever wonder how those Spirit Halloween stores just... appear every September and vanish by November? How do they make money being open only 3 months a year? 

The origin story is wild: one guy in the 80s watched a line at a neighboring store, had an idea, and accidentally invented an entire business model. Today, we're breaking down how Spirit Halloween went from a women's clothing store experiment to a $2 billion pop-up empire—and what we can steal from their playbook.

• Love a good origin story with practical takeaways? Hit subscribe and learn how paying attention to what's working around you can change everything (no business degree required).
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• I want to hear from you! If you liked this episode where I told you a story about a cultural phenomenon, please let me know. Send me a text or DM through the links in the show notes. If you loved it, I'll lean into more episodes like this—your feedback actually shapes what we create.

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Who Should Listen

This episode is for anyone who loves Halloween, a good business origin story, moms looking for inspiration to try something new, and anyone who's ever walked through Spirit Halloween with their kids, wondering, "How is this a thing?"

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What You Get In This Episode

• Spirit Halloween’s origin story and how they manage to make money when they’re only around for 3 months every year
• Why Millennials and Gen Z are driving Halloween's popularity (and passing it to our kids)
• How much of Big Candy’s revenue is attributable to Caitlin and Ariella

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Bios

Caitlin brings her signature blend of humor and practical advice to help overwhelmed moms navigate the challenges of adulting—and occasionally tells you wild business stories that are equal parts entertaining and inspiring. With Ariella Monti (ariellamonti.com), novelist and author of Roots in Ink.

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Sources & Mentions

• Thank you to Daniel Murray, creator of The Marketing Millennials eNewsletter
• A National Retail Federation (NRF) survey
• @SpiritHalloween on Twitter/X

Use promo code CKANDGK for 20% off Roots in Ink at ariellamonti.com

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I want to hear from you! If you liked this episode where I told you a story about a cultural phenomenon, please let me know. Send me a text or DM through the links in the show notes. If you loved it, I'll lean into more episodes like this—your feedback actually shapes what we create.

The best support is a rating and a share.

Love,
CK & GK

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