Consumers expected to spend billions of dollars this Halloween

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - With Halloween just a couple weeks away, people have been spending quite a bit of money on Halloween supplies.

According to the National Retail Federation , people are expected to spend $8 billion this year on Halloween materials. People are estimated to spend $79.82 per person, up $7.51 from last year.

Dick Stoner owns Stoner's Funstores in downtown Fort Wayne. He said his business has been picking up earlier than expected.

"Seems like there's a lot of activity early, and they're buying, and renting," he said.

He's been running his store since 1949. He thought the downturn in the economy a few years ago would forced him to close his doors for good.

"I thought we're going to be trouble because we nothing in this store that anybody needs. I mean, it's all just fun stuff," he said. "But I then soon realized that our business went up then."

He believes that's because people wanted to escape the reality of life.

"People have to have fun, so, it's important to have fun. That's a part of the Halloween business," said Stoner.