Mark Of The Beast: Spirit Halloween Already Opening MA Stores

MASSACHUSETTS — It's early August, the perfect time to start thinking about Halloween?

The gory seasonal retailer Spirit Halloween has already started opening stores across Massachusetts about three months before Oct. 31. True to its theme, Spirit Halloween is zombifying the bodies of now-closed retailers (RIP Christmas Tree Shops), using spaces previously home to stores like Sears and Dick's.

Spirit sells Halloween décor, plus costumes and accessories for children, teens and adults. The stores typically stay open through Halloween, although the company has an online store year-round.

Here are locations where you can get a jump on scares now, or at some point in August — if you dare.

Open now

• Former The Paper Store, 435 Boston Post Road, Sudbury
• Former Tilt, 601 Donald Lynch Boulevard, Marlborough
• Former Dicks, 541 Lincoln St., Worcester
• 1500 Union Street, Westborough
• Former SleePare, 1 General Way, Reading
• Former Ulta, 1360 South Washington St., North Attleborough
• Former Staples, 10 Main St., Tewksbury
• Former Pier One, 122 Colony Place Road, Plymouth

Opening later in August

• Former Sears, 385 Southbridge St., Auburn
• Former Paper Store, 257 Hartford Ave., Bellingham
• 444 Highland Ave., Salem
• Former Brunswick Home, 1278 Worcester St., Natick
• Former Family Dollar, 102 Water St., Fitchburg
• Former Fashion Bug, 227 Highland Ave., Salem
• Former Olympia Sports, 244 Patriot Place, Foxborough
• Former Oakland Furniture, 6 Wayside Road, Burlington
• Former Bed Bath Beyond, 119 Middlesex Ave., Somerville
• Former Sears, 200 Westgate Drive, Brockton
• Former Tuesday Morning, 1275 Fall River Ave., Seekonk
• Former Toys R Us, 86 Swansea Mall Drive, Swansea
• Former Christmas Tree Shop, 6A Cranberry Highway, Sagamore

The various Spirit Halloween stores in Massachusetts are also hiring. Check the company's career page here.