St. Louis Halloween store: 30,000-square-foot warehouse now hosts 97-year legacy

St. Louis residents looking for last-minute Halloween costumes have until 10 p.m. Friday and 9 p.m. Saturday to visit Johnnie Brock's Dungeon Party Warehouse. The store is open late in the McKinley Heights neighborhood to accommodate shoppers who have not yet secured their outfits for the holiday.

The business occupies 30,000 square feet at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Interstate 44. Ed Brock, the third-generation owner and president, moved the operation to this location in 2008. He designed the space as a shoppable warehouse and close-out destination to offer a wider selection of costumes and accessories than previous locations could hold.

The company's history began in 1929 when John Brock, a former St. Louis Cardinals catcher and outfielder, opened a retail gift store in the Arcade Building downtown. The family expanded to locations on Locust Street and in Hampton Village in 1948. After John Brock died in 1951, his family continued operating card and gift stores throughout the city.

In 1985, Ed Brock launched the Halloween-specific venture in the basement of the Hampton Village store. He had used the basement as backstock storage and jokingly called it the dungeon. He pitched the idea of a dedicated Halloween shopping destination to his father that year, who supported the vision. The first season was successful, with local radio personalities from KSHE 95 promoting the store on air.

Brock said the store operates on a year-round calendar. Planning for the upcoming Halloween season begins in mid to late November, with orders placed in January and February. Vendors fly the family to New York to select inventory. This year's record warm weather initially reduced foot traffic, but Brock said sales are picking up as the holiday approaches.

The National Retail Federation reports that nearly half of consumers began shopping for Halloween before October this year. Spending for the holiday is expected to reach $13.5 billion. Brock noted that the timing of the holiday provides an extra selling week compared to previous years, placing the store on track to outperform last year's results.

The store's top-selling item is Bram Stoker's Dracula, specifically the plastic fanged teeth. Other popular categories include Renaissance, pirate, and Gothic costumes. The store also houses a dedicated makeup counter for theatrical-level professional stage makeup, which Webster University uses for its productions. After Halloween, the inventory shifts to holiday items, including Santa suits ranging from $19.99 to $700, as well as Mardi Gras gear.