Halloween shopping remains high and starts early as Minnesotans look for viral decorations

“We have fresh stuff every year,” he said. “A lot of people come to us because animatronics are not easy to make. It’s a lot of specialized work.”

“They know which factories our animatronics come from,” he said, “and if I have a video in the background with a product we haven't launched yet, they'll notice it and ask when it's coming.”

There are more than 100 life-size animatronic figures on Fallenstein's website, and while a specific 12-foot skeleton isn't included, there is an 8-foot version with similar features. Or buyers can opt for the giant inflatable Beetlejuice, measuring 25 feet long.

But if people are only now buying their frightening clowns, spooky witches and disturbing antique dolls, they're behind, Fallenstein said. Purchasing on his website typically begins as early as July and August and peaks around early October for decorations. For the rest of the month through Oct. 31, most shoppers only bought costumes, he said.

Gray said she was enjoying the excitement in her garden before the big holiday. Recently, two five-year-olds worried that their decorative net might catch real butterflies and asked them how they could stop the net from catching real insects.

“That’s what’s so exciting about it,” Gray said, is that he only brought a handful of trick-or-treaters to the stage that day. “Even though I don't see children on Halloween, I can see their reactions to my decorations leading up to the holiday.”