This house from last year in Madison Heights displayed a variety of skeletons, some of them wearing outfits.
By: Brian Wells | C&G Newspapers | Published September 29, 2025
METRO DETROIT — With Halloween around the corner, local retailers are sharing tips on how to make your home — and your costume — the best on the block.
Ying Vang, store director of the Madison Heights Meijer on 13 Mile Road, said that while the basic decorations are always popular — things like witches and skeletons — her store has seen an increase in the number of inflatable decorations being sold.
“It’s an easy decoration for outdoors. You plug it in and it’s Halloween,” she said.
Vang also said that things to decorate a front porch, such as lights, are popular.
Dave Douglas, who owns Crypt Keeper’s Halloween Emporium in Center Line, agreed that traditional decorations are still popular and remain a cheaper option.
“Some people aren’t in as big of a hurry to spend $500 on a prop,” he said.
As far as costumes, Vang said a lot of kids are starting to dress up as characters from older media, such as “The Hungry Caterpillar.”
Douglas said that his store has more than 1,000 costumes. While some faces from horror franchises remain Halloween staples — such as Michael Myers from “Halloween” and Ghostface from the “Scream” movies — his store sees a lot of people coming in and putting their own costumes together.
“We have the largest mask wall in the country, so people like to make their own costumes,” he said. “They’ll buy a robe, they’ll buy gloves, they’ll buy whatever character matches with it.”
Douglas also said he’s seen an increase in people buying “cutesy” costumes this year.
“I have seen more cutesy things this year than normal, like we’ve been selling a decent amount of inflatable costumes, like the T. rex from “Jurassic Park,” or one that looks like an alien is carrying you,” he said.
Additionally, Douglas said anime-themed costumes are popular this year.
“Anime is super big right now because of ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and there’s no costumes out yet,” he said. “That’s the No. 1 thing people are asking for.”
A growing trend, according to Vang, is seeing people buy costume s for their pets.
“It’s really adorable. It’s cute that they are matching the costumes that they’re making,” she said.