Thread: Toronto area stores update

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OK, for all you Ontario types I made the road trip to Toronto to check out the stores.

First stop was Creepers in Woodbine mall. Not too spectacular. About 90% costumes, very few unusual props, though I did pick up some decent tombstones for $5.99 There are a few Creepers locations in Toronto including one about a block away from the Spirit Store in Mississauga at Dundas St E. and Arena Rd. so a multi stop road trip is easy.


The Spirit Store was excellent! We first went to the one in Mississauga at 734 Dundas St E. Lots of good props. Prices were variable. Some stuff was cheap, others were higher than other stores. Particularly the cauldron stirring witch that was available at Shoppers Drug Mart for $150 cost $239 there! Anyhow there was enough cool stuff there that I never saw anywhere else around here including full sized animated props like Jason (very realistic!), Hannibal Lector and the Headless Bride, etc. I picked up a lot of small stuff, over $300 worth anyway that I never found elsewhere.

We also stopped at the Burlington Spirit Store at Guelph Line and Upper Middle, in the Fortinos plaza. Largely the same stuff but the store was smaller and more difficult to navigate. More costumes than props here.

I spoke to the owner at the Mississauga store and it turns out that he is the guy who runs both Toronto stores and the one in Ottawa. I told him nobody knew about the stores and that I would spread the word. He said he has spoken several times to the head office about their negligence in keeping up the website to indicate the Ontario stores and mentioned one customer even told him that he had called the main office to ask about it and they still didn't know anything. A fellow from the Ontario Haunters Club was also there and told him the same thing, so we need to get out there and support these stores so they come back next year. He said he is using the US pricing this year but is not sure if that will happen again next time as the cost of business is much higher in Canada. If you want to wait for a sale, there will be one November 2nd, but I wouldn't count on anything worthwhile being left over.
Owner said he was surprised at the number of Haunters up here, and I told him he hasn't seen anything yet as nobody knew about it.

Anyhow, I thought I would spread the word.

Don, you stole my thunder! lol

I only went out to the Burlington Spirit store (probably saw you there!)
I was very disappointed because the whole reason I went there was because I was hoping to pick up some of the Haunted Memories lenticular portraits... no dice. Did you see any at the Mississauga store?
I got a couple minor things... couple of those faux flaming torch bowls, the haunted broom and a couple wigs.
(And I was one of the people who told him that the 800 number staff was telling people there were no Canadian outlets...)

Ironically, I went to the Zehrs in Cambridge afterwards and they had the following...
The misting 'bucket'o'blood' with the skeleton hand - at Spirit it was $60 - at Zehrs - only $30!!
The mister standalone device - at Spirit it was $20 - at Zehrs - $15.
They had some other great stuff I haven't seen elsewhere... a very amusing animated Fester Addams lookin' head eating a rat.

But for anyone traveling to the Cambridge / KW area, I highly recommend Maskerade Manor on Queen Street in the Hespeler area of Cambridge. *Amazing* props for rent and inspiration! It is just a little place, but the quality is outstanding.

Further update...
Apparently the Spirit Halloween store has pulled the Haunted Memories lenticular pictures. No longer on the website. Looks like they switched from the quality multi-image lenticular image to the straight-up 2 image type.
Guess the $7.99 price tag (versus the $14.99 online Haunted Memories price) was due to that variable.

Originally Posted by Bliss3333

They had some other great stuff I haven't seen elsewhere... a very amusing animated Fester Addams lookin' head eating a rat.

Ya, BIG eeeeewwwww factor on that one. They had lots of them at the Strasburg Rd. Zehrs too.

Don

Thanks guys for those update never knew those store were there ,now that i have no money left oh boy next year then . Anyway November there will be a sale then i might have money back maybe i will find something good for me
Thanks again very appreciated

Thanks for the update! It might save me a trip to TO (unless I decide to go have a look anyways!)

For serious toronto Haunters looking for props every year

1. Sams Club, there are 3 around Toronto. They always have a couple good props that you usually can't get elsewhere in the city.
2. Coscto, they have more stores, and also have some excellent props that are hard to find elsewhere.
3. Michaels, they usually have 2 or 3 props per year. Go early because they sell out... Or...wait until first week of October and if they have any left, the drop the price by 40% of the big boxed props, or 50% price drop off the floor model
4. New Spirits of Halloween store that opened by Dundas & Cawthra. Some very excellent props! But they sell out very early. I.e. their Jason (which is superb, and about $250) is already sold out.
5. Amazing Party store at 923 Oxford Street (off of QEW, Islington exit) has great items but usually very over priced. Good to go there to get ideas, but you can usually find most of there items elsewhere for cheaper.
6. Party Packagers --> sometimes you can find some bargains. Usually not that good though on high-end props
7. Sear's Canada's online catalog. If you shop online with Sears you can find some great props. They usually don't have the good ones in the store though, only online.
8. Real Canadian Superstores (i.e. Loblaws) sometimes have some good priced lower-end props. Items that might cost $40 or $50 at the big party stores you sometimes find here for like $20 or $30
9. Canadian Tire - Hit or miss, some years they have good props while other years they have crap. Go early cause the good stuff gets sold out.

Remember to start shopping in September, by the time October 1st rolls around you'd be surprised how many of the good props are gone/vanish and only the crap is left. But if you're looking for deals, you can sometimes grab some things for sale 1st week of October.

If anyone else has some good stores with animatronic type props that I haven't listed please tell me. oh, I know there's also creepers too..went there last year...they are so-so.

For the high end props - Costco, Sams Club, Spirits and Michaels is best. Amazing Party surprises me that they don't have better quality props, they're big, but they don't seem to carry the good animated props, most of what they had this year was either crap or priced higher than the other stores. But still you SHOULD go there every year just because they have a large selection, and they also decorate nice usually which helps give you ideas.