Halloween’s most iconic elements—candy corn, licensed costumes, pop-up stores, and haunted houses—originated from modest entrepreneurial efforts that evolved into widespread traditions and major commercial enterprises.
Candy corn, a ubiquitous Halloween candy, was first produced in the 1880s in Philadelphia, which was then a candy manufacturing center. The confection, initially designed by George Renninger at Wunderle Candy, was inspired by agricultural motifs popular at the time. Unlike today’s Halloween association, candy corn was originally marketed as a novelty treat resembling chicken feed, sold year-round. Its distinctive tri-color layering was achieved by carefully pouring hot sugar in stages, a labor-intensive process. The candy’s shift to a Halloween staple is largely credited to the Goelitz Confectionery company, which began promoting it as a seasonal treat in the early 20th century. Goelitz, later renamed Jelly Belly and acquired by Ferrara Candy in 2023, was instrumental in scaling production and branding candy corn for Halloween. Meanwhile, Wunderle ceased operations in the 1980s.
The licensed costume industry was shaped significantly by Ben Cooper, an entrepreneur active from the 1930s through the late 20th century. Cooper’s company, which controlled as much as 80% of the licensed character costume market at its peak, introduced mass-market costumes featuring popular fictional characters from Disney films, superheroes like Spider-Man and Batman, “Sesame Street,” and “Star Wars,” as well as U.S. presidents. Cooper’s focus was on affordable simplicity, offering plastic masks and basic costumes at low prices. Though his company went bankrupt in 1992, it was acquired by Rubie’s Costume, which continues to be a major player in the market.
The concept of seasonal pop-up stores specializing in Halloween merchandise was pioneered by Joseph Marver in 1983. Operating a discount apparel shop in Castro Valley, California, Marver noted the success of a neighboring costume shop and transformed his business focus to Halloween products for the month of October. He expanded the idea by leasing temporary retail space in malls, overcoming challenges posed by traditional long-term leases and convincing mall owners of the seasonal business potential. Over 16 years, Marver’s venture evolved into Spirit Halloween, growing to 60 outlets before being sold to Spencer Gifts in 1999. Today, Spirit Halloween operates approximately 1,500 seasonal locations across the U.S. and Canada, dominating the temporary Halloween retail market.
Large-scale commercial haunted houses trace their roots to Walter Knott, founder of Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park. In 1973, Knott’s introduced the “Scary Farm” Halloween event, the first major commercial haunted house designed to increase attendance during the park’s slow season. The event was heavily advertised throughout Southern California, attracting visitors with promises of immersive spooky experiences featuring live actors and elaborate sets. Knott’s continues to run the attraction annually, open for 26 nights each Halloween season, maintaining its status as a pioneer in haunted entertainment.
Together, these innovations—from candy production to costume licensing, retail strategy, and themed entertainment—helped transform Halloween into a cultural and economic juggernaut. In 2025, consumer spending on Halloween-related products and events reached $13.1 billion, underscoring the lasting impact of these early entrepreneurial efforts.