BOO! ADULTS GET INTO SPIRIT OF HALLOWEEN

Grownups playing dress up?

You bet, say merchants carrying Halloween costumes and other appropriately spooky accessories.

The days of just pint-sized ghosts and goblins are gone as more adults discover that getting into the spirit of the season has no age limit.

"Ten years ago Halloween customers were mostly young people," said E.C. Younghouse of Younghouse Distributing Co. Inc. near Interstate-55 and Highway 74. "But in recent years we have watched more and more adults join in."

"Especially this year," said Mike Redfearn of Party Place in Town Plaza Shopping Center. "Oct. 31 falls on a Saturday, and adults are already looking at Halloween costumes and accessories for special parties."

Spending on Halloween paraphernalia costumes, accessories and other items was up as much as 25 to 30 percent a year ago, and could continue to zoom again in 1992 if early interest is any indication.

Seasonal merchandise for Halloween 1992 features merchandise from frightening to funny to fanciful.

"In past years many people waited until the final week before looking for costumes," said Redfearn. "This year it's different; we have already had people buying and, or, making arrangements for leasing of costumes."

Rental costumes are big business in Cape Girardeau.

Some popular rental costumes this year include Elvira, witches and Batman, said Redfearn, who has more than 125 costumes for rent. Also included in the rental list are some strictly adult French maid costumes.

Employees of several businesses "dress up" on or just before Halloween day, and that boosts the costume business as well.

More than 100 costumes are available for rent at Rental Land, 1922 Independence.

"We have already leased a few, but many people are just looking around and getting ideas now," said Fred Anglin of Rental Land.

Costumes for children and adults include a wide variety of traditional fabric costumes witches, goblins, princesses and ballerinas intermixed with currently popular characters from "Batman Returns" Batman and Catwoman along with "Teenage Mutant-Ninja Turtles" and "The Addams Family."

"Batman was big last year," said Redfearn. "With the summer movie, `Batman Returns,' Batman and Catwoman costumes have become a popular item this year, both for youngsters and adults."

Redfearn said the traditional witches and monsters were still popular.

The pumpkin-carving kit is big this year, too" said Redfearn. "This kit was introduced last year, and allows for intricate details while carving a pumpkin. We sold out early last year and have doubled our order for this year."

Younghouse agreed that Batman characters are popular this year, but that presidential paraphernalia is also a favorite with shoppers.

"We're receiving a lot of requests for past presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan," said Younghouse. "President and Mrs. Bush faces are popular, along with those of presidential candidate Bill Clinton."

Other items of interest are troll masks and Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy costumes, said Younghouse, who echoed Redfearn's remarks concerning early purchases.

"Now is the time to get costumes," he said. "That way you still have a good selection."

One of the hottest items during the early going is that of a "noisy" door mat, said Younghouse.

"When someone steps on the mat, it makes a moaning and screaming sound," he said. "We have sold a bunch of these."

Other Halloween accessories include jewelry, cosmetics, light sticks, a haunted Halloween porcelain village set, giant Stuff-a-Pumpkin leaf bags, illuminated Halloween figures and lighted Halloween Haunted Hollow yard signs.

"We are fully stocked with seasonal merchandise for Halloween 1992," said Kim Philllips, a spokesman for Venture Stores Inc., headquartered at St. Louis. "We have everything from frightening to funny to fanciful merchandise, including costumes, accessories and home-decorating ideas."

Venture also introduced the "Bob Box," this year, said Phillips.

"This is a promotion through Venture's Cafe Express restaurants," she said. "Each Halloween box is decorated with trick-or-treat safety tips, a cut-out mask, and a coupon for a free ICEE." Included in the boxes are also a Kid's Meal and glow-in-the-dark light wand.

Wal-Mart, 3439 William, stocked two full counters with Halloween products.

"Early sales have been good," said a Wal-Mart spokesman. "We've sold about half of our stock here and won't be restocking." Items include costumes, crafts and masks.