ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Halloween may not be here quite yet, but a familiar orange tent can already be found on Tunnel Road. Halloween Express is back with all the costumes, accessories and supplies necessary to make spooky season a success.
Robbie Williams, owner of the Asheville Halloween supply store, said that he has been setting up the tent for 15 years. He has been in the Halloween business even longer. His sister introduced him to the business model between 2005 and 2007.
“The Halloween business, she got me into it. I enjoy it. It’s fun, the kids and even the adults, setting up their parties,” said Williams. “ It’s a fun season. I’ve got a lot of repeat customers that come in every single year. I know them, they know me, you know, it’s a pretty cool little business.”
For Williams, Halloween is business. He said he enjoys the holiday just as much as the next person, but he did not start his Halloween Express as a horror superfan. He leaves the elaborate costumes and decorations enthusiasm to his customers.
“I mean, I like Halloween, but I’m not what you’d call a haunted house type, you know?” Williams said. “I’m a small businessman.”
The Halloween Express owner has been an Asheville entrepreneur since 1995, when he opened Showtime Sports & Trophies, a custom sports apparel and awards shop in Skyland. At this point, Williams’ bright orange tent, which measures 9,600 square feet, is probably as well known as his trophy store.
“I think it’s become a staple in Western North Carolina. Honestly, they don’t know the name. Halloween Express, Halloween Limited, Halloween Superstore, like, they know the big orange tent,” Williams said. “That’s what people know, and we try to get bigger and better every year.”
Halloween Express has its setup down to a science: boys’ and men’s costumes on one side, girls’ and women’s on the other. Masks in one corner, vampire teeth on this aisle and every type of costume imaginable organized and labeled.
“Everything’s got its spot. Each year we’re doing stuff, and I’ll be like, quit recreating the wheel, just stay with what we’ve done. Because we’ve done pretty much the same setup for 15 years,” Williams said. “I mean, there are some tweaks here and there, but pretty much it’s set up the same way.”
While sorting the inventory has been standardized, picking the products is a guessing game. Running a Halloween store requires a finger on the pulse of what’s popular in pop culture.
“Pop culture, it’s a big thing now. Like, last year, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ come out at the last minute and we were scrambling just to find somebody that could create something. So you do have to stay up,” Williams said.
Even so, there are a few guarantees.
“You know, Spider-Man this year, Spider-Man next year, right? Superman, Batman. Those characters,” Williams said. “Witch is a witch is a witch. There’s characters that I’ve probably had some of the same costumes for 15 years.”
For Asheville, Halloween Express is just as much of a constant.
The bright orange tent is now haunting the parking lot of the Asheville Mall on Tunnel Road. It opens today, Sept. 12, and will run until just after Halloween.
For more information, visit www.thebigorangetent.com.