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Halloween Collecting 2009 Update

 A Very Scary Time in our Economy!
   by Tom, 2009

Wow!  2009!  What a conundrum!  The year started with some of the worst financial news.  Bad for the collecting industry.  Following a distressing national trend, nearly every collectible store in the Portland, Oregon metro area have closed. 

We are overjoyed and relieved that our focus is Halloween.  We only purchased Halloween at the Gift shows across the country back in January.  Halloween 2009 is on a Saturday this year.  Several economists believe that Halloween may have bigger sales this year than ever.  Why?  Because the economy is expected to improve by the third quarter, and they believe that most people who enjoy Halloween are going to enjoy the release that the party holiday presents.  Halloween is different than Christmas.  You don’t have to run out for weeks stressing while looking for pre-Christmas gift sales.  Halloween is a party time.

This year we spent weeks going back through boxes in five storage units.  We have found retired items that we didn’t know we even had.  We have spent the summer inventorying, photographing ,and listing these newly discovered products on our web.  They are NEW to our website, but RETIRED and not available elsewhere.

180 Degrees
 

The Newly Deads Candles
 

We also ordered less this year because of the economy so items are limited.  Because so much of what we have is retired, it also is limited in quantities.  We have expanded our Ghoul Gallery to nearly 170 pages of merchandise.  170!  From our mere beginning ten years ago with one or two pages, you might say that we have really expanded.  It could literally take you hours to go through our entire website (or Halloween Museum as some call it), but well worth your time because we have things you won’t find anywhere else.

At Ghoul Gallery we focus on entertaining.  We have everything from tablecloths and napkins to candles holders, candelabras, party hats, cake plates, cider servers, cups, and more.  Even our candle selection is one of the internet’s widest array of Halloween. 

But one neglected area we are beginning to focus on are Halloween Weddings. We have the newly dead candles, cake toppers and more.  Can you imagine the memories you would have by planning a wedding on Halloween and inviting the guests to show up in costume.  Even the Bride and Groom could come dressed like the bride and groom out of Beetlejuice/.  Imagine the place settings at the reception with our exclusive copper orange plate chargers and then add candy containers, noise makers and more.

You may find the typical mass-produced decorations at the local discount chains, but you won’t find the quality and collectibility of what we have.  In fact, when Dept 56 went bankrupt, we purchased a large portion of their remaining Halloween Stock.

Our Collecting 2009 article would not be complete without addressing the very heartbreaking bankruptcy of Department 56.  After 30 incredible years, we will miss them terribly.  They have been bought by Enesco and the name may continue, but only time will tell if the product line will continue.  If it doesn’t, we’re certainly glad to have bought so much Department 56 as they closed down.  We can’t imagine that anyone will produce the creative items presented each year by Department 56.

It should be noted that Department 56 did produce their village items for the year.  Their new Croak & Haggard Mortuary is a limited edition available only for this year.  It is hot!  They also continued the Haunted Train by adding a Dining Car.  Good choice! 

Here at Ghoul Gallery we have watched the rise and fall of many excellent Halloween designers.  One of early favorites, Fitz & Floyd have narrowed their focus.  Midwest of Cannon Falls just doesn’t produce like it used to.  Silvestri is gone from Halloween.  Even Kurt Adler opened up some new Halloween lines this year, but didn’t produce enough of some and are delayed in filling orders. 

We hope that 2010 will bring more success to all designing companies.

We continue to sell Halloween year ‘round.  We are actually quite surprised when we get large orders from individuals in February or March and even for purchases of Halloween for Christmas Gifts in December.  As we sell out of older, retired Halloween collectibles, they are gone from our inventory forever.  We are amazed how many people tell us that they are looking to replace something they had in their collection that broke or is lost.  You’re welcome to come back anytime.

We sell all over the world.  Recently we heard from France.  We use Pay Pal exclusively because it can be used internationally.  It is secure and well known around the world. 

We hope you’ll find everything you are looking for in our Ghoul Gallery.  If you have suggestions for new collections, please email us at Trifics@comcast.net.
Thanks for visiting.  Don’t be too frightened!