Spirit Halloween coming to Ponca City this fall: now hiring

It might only be July, but we’re over halfway to Halloween and those who love the spookiest time of the year will be more than thrilled to find that the largest Halloween retailer, Spirit Halloween, is coming to Kay County.

Yes, really.

Word began circulating on Facebook in late-June that the building of the recently closed furniture store American Freight, which also housed the beloved and historic Hastings, in Ponca City’s 14th Street shopping center would be getting a Spirit Halloween, and that they were hiring for the Halloween season.

The Blackwell Journal-Tribune reached out to Spirit for an official comment.

SPOOKY SEASON

A spokesperson on behalf of Spirit Halloween stated that the building in Ponca City was exactly what they were looking for:

“While we cannot reveal our operational secrets, we look to identify stores in lifestyle centers, strip centers, free-standing stores, major downtown retail locations, and in major malls that are surrounded by a national retailer mix,” said Spirit Halloween.

The property is located in the same shopping center as Starbucks, Hobby Lobby, the University Center, and Burger King.

“Ideal locations for a Spirit Halloween store offer between 5,000 and 50,000 square feet of sales floor space with great visibility.”

The nearest Spirit Halloween locations, prior to the anticipated opening of Ponca City’s, were in Stillwater and Wichita, Kansas respectively.

Spirit Halloween stated that, unlike many other businesses, their requirement for a store wasn’t population but rather space:

“As a seasonal retailer, some of our locations do change year to year. There are no specific requirements, but we do look for a location with enough square footage to accommodate our leading assortment of Halloween products and we’re excited to bring the Spirit Halloween magic this year to Wichita at the Westway Shopping Center on South Seneca Street.”

It is anticipated, per Spirit, that they plan to hire over 50,000 employees for the upcoming seasons across 1400 stores nationwide.

Spirit’s positions are open for those as young as 16, the Halloween giant stated.

“We look to hire associates who are professional, hardworking, fun, and embrace the Halloween lifestyle.”

JOBS AVAILABLE

On Spirit’s official job-listing site, they are seeking a Store Manager, Sales Associates, and Assistant Store manager.

The Store Manager title oversees and is accountable for the total operation of a store ensuring maximum sales and profitability by establishing and maintaining Guest Services and, controlling expenses.

The Store Manager is responsible for shrink, merchandising, inventory control, staffing, setup, pack-up and teardown of a seasonal store.

The minimum age requirement is 21 and must have a flexible schedule. The physical demands of the job require 8+ hours of standing/walking, climbing ladders, setting up fixtures and lifting/moving up to 50 pounds. Prior retail management experience is required.

Sales Associates will support the Store Management Team in the setup, merchandising, pack-up and teardown of a seasonal store.

The Sales Associate is responsible for maintaining Guest Services as per Company Standards. The Sales Associate will support the Store Management Team by generating sales, sign waving, general housekeeping, merchandising, signing, pricing, POS operations and loss prevention.

The minimum age requirement for this position is 16. The physical demands of the job require climbing ladders, setting up fixtures, lifting/moving up to 50 pounds and may require 8 hours of standing/walking.

The Assistant Store Manager supports the Store Manager in the staffing, setup, merchandising, pack-up and teardown of a Seasonal Store.

The Assistant Manager is responsible for supporting the Store Manager in the various tasks involved in the overall operation of a store ensuring maximum sales/profitability by establishing and maintaining Guest Services, developing staff, controlling expenses, shrinkage and all aspects of merchandising and inventory control. The minimum age requirement is 18 and must have a flexible schedule.

The physical demands of the job require 8+ hours of standing and walking, climbing ladders, setting up fixtures and lifting/moving up to 50 pounds. Prior retail management experience is required.

Spirit is also hiring Returning Assistant Store Manager, Returning Sales Associate, Returning Store Manager

The “Returning” positions are open to those who have previously worked at a Spirit or Spencer’s retail location.

Working at Spirit Halloween comes with head-turning perks, they said.

Associates can look forward to competitive salaries, flexible scheduling, and a premium pay incentive program while returning store managers are also eligible for seasonal retention bonuses.

All Spirit Halloween associates also receive a 30% discount on Spirit Halloween purchases, allowing them to haunt on or off the clock.

Those interested can apply here:

https://www.spencersandspiritjobs.com/en-US/search?facetcountry=us&facetcitystate=ponca%20city,ok

HALLOWEEN IN KAY COUNTY

“The popularity of Halloween continues to boom, with fans turning the holiday season into a true lifestyle,” Spirit Halloween told the Journal-Tribune.

“As the world’s largest Halloween retailer, we work year-round to deliver best-in-class offerings and in-store experiences that help enthusiasts celebrate the best time of year. Given the continued interest in Halloween, we expect 2024 to be another season dedicated to our in-demand and on-trend collections of new and returning costumes, accessories, and décor, along with an industry-leading lineup of animatronics.”

In Kay County, Ponca City hosts their award-winning Goblins on Grand event as well as several costume parties at various bars.

In Blackwell, the VFW hosts their own costume party, along with Arthur’s Bar & Grill.

Blackwell also hosts the Fall-O-Ween event and a Haunted House at the Fairgrounds.

Several locations around town, including the Blackwell Police Department and Blackwell Public Library as well as a slew of local churches participate in Trunk or Treat.