Spirit Halloween No Longer Moving Into Former Port Monmouth Rite Aid

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Spirit Halloween is no longer moving into the former Rite Aid on Wilson Avenue in Port Monmouth, according to Middletown Township business administrator Anthony Mercantante.

Spirit Halloween backed out about two weeks ago, he said.

The shuttered Rite Aid at 200 Wilson Avenue was on the list to become a Spirit Halloween, which the company published in early August (https://stores.spirithalloween...), of where they planned to open short-term leases this fall.

This is because a very old zoning law says that property can only be used as a pharmacy with a drive-through. Any other use of the property would require 200 Wilson Avenue go back for public review before the Planning Board, said Mercantante.

There isn't enough time for Spirit to attempt this before the Halloween shopping season, which has already begun. He said the company pulled out of their short-term lease.

"When the old Eckerd Drug (it became a Rite Aid) application went before the Planning Board many years ago, the Planning Board put a condition in the resolution of approval that says, in essence, the property can only be used as a pharmacy with a drive -thru," Mercantante explained. "Any other use before being allowed to open there would have to come back to the Planning Board for a further review and hearing."

"(Spirit Halloween) was made aware of this a week or two ago, so as far as I know they are not proceeding at this location," he said.

There are other Spirit Halloweens still planning to open in the former Bed, Bath & Beyond in Aberdeen and one is now open in the former Barnes & Noble in Holmdel, too.

This unusual caveat in the Zoning Law was first noticed by Port Monmouth resident Shannon Ecklof, who emailed Patch to point it out.