For Susan and Michael Bruner, Halloween is more than just a holiday, it is a passion they enjoy sharing with others. That passion has grown into Mall1031, a unique Halloween-themed business located at 121 Main Street, Arendtsville.
The name Mall1031, fittingly titled for October 31, Halloween, reflects the Bruners’ love of the spooky season. Their favorite interests include classic horror and Halloween icons particularly the Mummy, Vincent Price, and the classic Frankenstein era rather than the blood and guts of Halloween. Their store is quite extensive with a vast array of seasonal treasures.
Susan explained that Arendtsville was not necessarily where they originally planned to establish their business, but that “Arendtsville found them, as an opportunity seemed to fall into place.” “The former garage became available again for purchase at the same time a house several doors away was for sale.” Purchasing the properties made more financial sense for the Bruners than continuing to rent multiple storage units for their growing collection. They purchased the property in 2018 and officially opened the shop doors for business in 2019. Susan expressed, “We love our neighbors and town.”
The move to Arendtsville has allowed Mall1031 to grow from its modest beginnings. The Bruners’ collection continued to grow from displaying items initially at a church hall then expanding to a hotel conference room before finding a permanent home in Arendtsville.
“It has been very rewarding seeing our passion grow,” Susan said. “We love watching people having fun and enjoying Halloween.” “We like seeing them wandering through the store and finding new items such as mantel dioramas, porch decorations, or articles to prepare for a party.”
Today, visitors can find a collection of both new and used Halloween items throughout the store. One of the Bruners’ favorite activities is decorating mannequins as different characters using masks, props, clothing, and other decorations and accessories. For example, they’ve created one modeled after The Last Man Standing. Because of customer interest, some of these creations have since recently become available for purchase. They plan on acquiring additional mannequins and designing and creating them for customers to purchase. “We don’t have a typical type of customer. Everyone is welcome. Families, college kids, visitors, and others come in.” “We’ve had people come in who love to post and create YouTube videos, which helps our business.”
The Bruners hope to continue expanding their unique shop as they have the opportunity to utilize the front room in the current store, once electricity can be added. They’re excited to create Mall1225, a nod to Christmas, to sell Christmas themed items there.
Eventually, when Michael retires from his other job, they will pursue their dream of further expanding and creating a walk-through haunted house. The pair is quite creative and full of ideas. Looking ahead, Susan would also like to sew costumes, create crafts, and make more original pieces as the business continues to grow.
“It’s fun to see customers come in and enjoy and celebrate this time of year,” Susan said. She added, “Michael was disappointed when Halloween began to fade in the 90’s and he said, “its not going to die on my watch.””
Mall1031 is open during September and October on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Appointments can also be made during the off season by calling the store number at 717.645.7277.
The Bruners hope to keep adding to their collection, creating new displays, and giving Halloween enthusiasts a place to find something unique while celebrating the season they love. If you haven’t visited yet, be sure to check out Mall1031.
