Biz Buzz: Shelley, Idaho Falls great for trick-or-treaters this Halloween, studies say
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Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
BIZ BITS
SHELLEY
Study ranks Shelley best place in Idaho for trick-or-treating
SHELLEY – If you’re planning to go trick-or-treating this Halloween, then you better make a stop in Shelley.
A report from 24/7 Wall Street this month indicates Idaho is among the top 10 states obsessed with Halloween, and Shelley is rated the best place for trick-or-treating in the state.
The report does not mention how this data was determined, but we reached out to businesses in Shelley to find out if locals agree.
“It’s a lot safer than the bigger cities,” says Hayley Schluter, Shelley’s Family Dollar manager tells EastIdahoNews.com. “I have little kids and I take them (trick-or-treating) here in town.”
Another reason, Schluter says, is the number of parents who dress up in costumes with their kids.
“Parents just get into it more than they do in other places. I’ve been trick-or-treating in Idaho Falls before and it didn’t seem like there were as many parents who dressed up,” Schluter says.
Brenda Waggoner, Broulim’s Front-end manager, also cited family-friendliness and safety as a reason why Shelley is a popular place for trick-or-treating.
“There are a lot of trunk-or-treats at churches and schools. Families show up in droves to these events,” Waggoner says. “We had a Halloween event at the store last Saturday. At least one of the schools did a carnival and most of the schools do activities. They’re always well attended.”
For Waggoner, safety and parental involvement go hand-in-hand.
“Parents are usually out with their kids.”
IDAHO FALLS
Study ranks Idaho Falls fifth safest city for trick-or-treating
But another report from Yourlocalsecurity.com ranks Idaho Falls the fifth safest city in the nation for trick-or-treaters.
The reasons for this ranking is based on four factors. One of those factors is percentage of trick-or-treaters.
“Given that there may be safety in numbers when trick-or-treating, a higher percentage of children in a metro area contributed to a better score,” the report says.
The large number of trick-or-treaters on the street is precisely why officials are saying drivers need to be extra careful on Halloween night.
“There’s so many inexperienced young people out there. They’re excited. They’re darting in between cars. Many of them are doing this for the first time,” says Matthew Conde, a spokesman for AAA. “It’s the responsibility of parents and drivers to do the majority of the safety planning.”
John Tomlinson, AAA’s Highway Safety Manager, is encouraging drivers to avoid distractions and beware of your surroundings. He says trick-or-treaters also need to be engaged while they are walking.
The other factors involved in this ranking include pedestrian car deaths, violent crime and sex offenders.
Local retailers say “Fortnite” most popular Halloween costume this year
And if parents are trick-or-treating with their kids, that got us wondering what costumes people are buying this year.
Employees at Spirit Halloween in Idaho Falls tell us “Fortnite,” by far, is the most popular costume for kids this year. “Fortnite” is a popular video game where you build forts and kill zombies.
For adults, it’s a toss up between “Hocus Pocus” and “Steampunk,” the latter of which they say is inspired by the Museum of Idaho exhibit.
“‘Steampunk’ hasn’t been a trend in previous years,” Spirit Halloween’s Assistant Manager says.
RELATED | Gear up for ‘Discover Steampunk’ exhibit
ZURCHERS Party + Costumes + Wedding in Idaho Falls says “Fortnite” and inflatable costumes are popular among all ages.
Study says candy corn most popular Halloween candy in Idaho, but local retailers disagree
But the whole reason parents are dressing up and taking their kids trick-or-treating is for the candy. The candy Idahoans wants this year is Candy Corn, according to 24/7 Wall St.
Local retailers we spoke with did not notice any trend in particular among candy consumers, but Schluter said their candy is almost completely sold out.
Turn in your leftover candy for cash
If you want a place to take your leftover Halloween candy this year, Just4KiDDS in Idaho Falls and Pocatello is hosting a Halloween Candy Buy Back event November 1. Between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. you can bring in your unwanted candy and turn it into cash.
Kids 12 and under will receive $1 for every pound of wrapped candy. In return, you’ll get a toothbrush and a voucher for dinner at Outback Steakhouse.
All candy collected will be sent to U.S. troops overseas through Operation Gratitude.
Just4KiDDS is located at 929 S. Utah in Idaho Falls and at 132 W. Quinn Road, Ste. 100 in Pocatello.
To learn more, call (208) 529-2199 or (208) 237-1883.
HALLOWEEN HORRORS
Good Question: Why do we celebrate Halloween?
Every year on Oct. 31, boys and girls of all ages prepare for the annual trick-or-treat. We dress up as a ghost, a vampire, our favorite movie character or some other person. We grab our plastic bucket and venture out into the night, going door-to-door to see how much candy we can collect. Why? I looked into that for this week’s Good Question.
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LISTEN: A Halloween scare you don’t want to miss
We thought we would part from our usual news reporting today to join in on the Halloween celebration. We hope you enjoy The Scare List.
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BIZ BUGS
HALLOWEEN SHOPPING
The following is a news release from the Better Business Bureau.
This year, the National Retail Federation expects shoppers to spend up to $9 billion on Halloween-related purchases. When it comes to purchasing costumes and other Halloween supplies, 45 percent of shoppers will visit discount stores, 35 percent will visit a Halloween store and 24 percent will shop online. Before you purchase your spooky costume, the Better Business Bureau Northwest + Pacific offers these tips to avoid being tricked:
- Look for sales. Compare prices on costumes and decorations from various retail or online stores. Look for coupons and sign up for email alerts to get the best deal.
- Check the return policy. Ask about the stores return policy before you buy. Find out how long you need your receipt, or what happens if you lost it. This will help you avoid any mishaps like unwanted items being non-refundable. Keep in mind that buying a bunch of stuff with the intent of simply returning it after October 31st is considered fraud.
- Shop smart. When shopping from an online website, the first step is to make sure the URL starts with “https” and includes a lock symbol. The S in “https” stands for secure. Look up the website’s privacy policy and contact information. If it is not clearly listed, or they only have an email as the point of contact, take that as a big red flag and shop elsewhere. Also, be sure to use your credit card instead of your debit card, as credit cards not only provide additional protection, but it’s also easier to dispute a fraudulent charge.
Seasonal stores
If you decide to shop from a seasonal store, ask whether or not they will be open after the holiday, how long they plan to stay open, and if they will accept returns after Halloween is over. If they plan to close up shop November 1st, or refuse returns after, either consider shopping elsewhere, or take more time to be sure that item is exactly what you want before making the purchase.
More tips for seasonal “pop-up” stores:
- See if they have a website in case you have to contact them later.
- Save every receipt.
- Use a credit card so you can dispute problems with the card’s issuer.
- Make sure you are clear on what items are final.
Do a little pre-planning before purchasing tickets to a special event or haunted house. Check online reviews to make sure you can trust the company hosting the event.
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