UPDATE: Spirit Halloween IS Coming to Abilene After All

UPDATE: Good News, Abilene... Halloween Has Officially Been Saved!

Well...this is one of those times I'm happy to be wrong.

After publishing this article, I heard from John Domeracki, the longtime operator of Spirit Halloween in Abilene, and he shared some great news.

Spirit Halloween is absolutely returning to Abilene for the 2026 Halloween season.

According to John, the company is currently in the final stages of finalizing its lease agreement and hopes to announce the new Abilene location by the end of this week.

When I originally researched this story, Abilene wasn't listed among Spirit Halloween's announced locations. I reached out to the company for comment before publishing but hadn't received a response at the time. Thankfully, John saw the article and reached out to let us know that Halloween in Abilene is still very much alive.

So, if you were already preparing yourself for a Spirit Halloween-less fall...you can put away the tissues. The costumes, decorations, fog machines, and giant skeletons are on their way.

I'll update this article again as soon as the official location is announced.

Original Story

I don't know about y'all, but one of the unofficial signs that fall is right around the corner in Texas is seeing an empty storefront suddenly transform into a Spirit Halloween. One day it's nothing...the next day there's a six-foot skeleton staring at you through the window.

So imagine my surprise when I went looking for Spirit Halloween's 2026 locations and couldn't find Abilene anywhere on the list. What in the...? That would be like the pool at Buffalo Gap State Park is going to be closed again...wait.

At the time this story was originally published, there didn't appear to be a Spirit Halloween location planned for Abilene. Since then, we've received confirmation that a store is coming to town. The information below reflects what was known before Spirit Halloween reached out.

Get our free mobile app

Could Spirit Halloween Still Open in Abilene This Year?

Photo: Chaz

There's still a chance.

Spirit Halloween stores traditionally open on a rolling schedule throughout August, and some locations aren't announced until leases are finalized. That means it's still possible Abilene could land a store later this month.

Still...the clock is ticking, and seeing Abilene missing from the current list feels a little strange.

UPDATE: That appears to be exactly what happened. According to longtime Abilene operator John Domeracki, the lease is now in its final stages, and the store location is expected to be announced by the end of the week.

It Just Doesn't Feel Like Halloween Without Spirit Halloween

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Let's be honest. Spirit Halloween has become part of the Halloween tradition.

Whether you're shopping for a last-minute costume, decorating the yard with enough animatronics to scare the UPS driver, or just walking through the store to see what's new, it's one of those places many of us look forward to every year.

Thankfully, it appears Abilene WILL have a Spirit Halloween in 2026!

So now I want to hear from you. Would you miss Spirit Halloween if it skipped Abilene this year? And if one does open, where do you think it should set up shop?

As soon as the official location is announced, I'll update this story again.