Toys R Us on Austin

Image via Wikipedia

In case you haven’t heard – Toys R Us is opening up a temporary store on Austin St. where the Annie Sez/ Mandee was. It is part of a strategy by the retailer to greatly expand its storefronts for the holidays: Toys R Us Plans a Pop-Up Store Holiday Blitz

Happy Halloween

Image via Wikipedia

A belated Happy Halloween to everyone from the Windy City. I’ve just arrived in Chicago for a couple of days. But before my plane took off this afternoon, I found myself swarmed with trick-or-treaters on Austin St. And I mean, swarmed! In case you missed it, there were tons of Harry Potters, Freddy Kreugers and a whole lot of characters I didn’t even recognize going from store to store today on Austin. I could barely move at one point there was such a crowd.

It seems this tradition of the retailers handing out candy to the kids keeps growing by leaps and bounds every year. It’s a really great event that is something to behold.

And now, with Halloween quickly fading into the past, the holiday season officially (or unofficially?) kicks off.

I find it kind of funny how these dates seem to keep moving earlier and earlier each year. Remember when the Christmas season didn’t begin until after Thanksgiving? That seems like ancient history.