Sometimes the best way to save a dying business is to bring in the dead.

Back in 1983, Joseph Marver had a problem. His women's clothing store in Castro Valley, California, wasn't exactly setting the world on fire.

But across the street, a costume shop was doing something remarkable. Every October, customers lined up to buy Halloween costumes while Marver's dresses collected dust.

Most struggling business owners might have tried a clearance sale.

Marver tried a resurrection.

When the costume shop closed, he packed away his dresses, headed to a trade show, and stocked his store with masks, wigs, costumes, and everything Halloween.

The result? His best October ever.

The following year, he took another gamble, renting temporary space in a shopping mall. That Halloween venture brought in approximately $100,000 in a single month.

Marver was onto something.

His little experiment became Spirit Halloween, a business that eventually grew to 60 seasonal stores before he sold it to Spencer Gifts in 1999.

Today, Spirit Halloween operates approximately 1,500 pop-up stores across the United States and Canada, appearing every fall in vacant storefronts like zombies rising from the retail graveyard.

And it all started because one businessman looked across the street and saw an opportunity instead of a competitor.

There's a lesson here for all of us.

Sometimes success doesn't mean working harder at something that isn't working. Sometimes it means having the courage to try something completely different.

Not bad for a guy who couldn't sell a dress. 💀

Marver Passsed away March 2025, leaving behind a nation of Happy Halloweeners.

This blog provides a springboard for writers/creators/storytellers/innovators. Remember, consistency is the key!

By incorporating these tips and tricks into your routine, you can have a rewarding hobby or career.

Until next time :)

-E

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