Combined with factors such as a declining consumer mood — which unexpectedly dropped in October — and the National Retail Federation's prediction that individual Halloween spending will fall about 18 percent on the year, Marks said this will be one of the worst Halloweens retailers have seen.

"I don't see consumers running out and shopping for any sort of discretionary item right now," she said.

But Marilyn Torres, an interior designer with a 13-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, said she doesn't have much choice. Her children's school holds an annual Halloween parade, and she refuses to send them without costumes.

Though she said she typically goes "all out" on Halloween, sometimes spending nearly $100 on costumes and accessories, she's looking to spend $30 or less this year. So instead of investing in a prepackaged, pricier outfit, she'll dress her son as a werewolf by cutting the fingers off a pair of gloves, sewing on false hair and painting his face brown.

"If it's something really difficult we can't make, we'll buy it here," said Torres as she visited a Ricky's store in Hoboken, N.J.

Even though consumers like Torres are spending less, she's an example of why Burden said Halloween is somewhat recession-proof — it's an important holiday for consumers and their families, and they'd rather cut back in other areas than completely eliminate the celebration.

That concept — paired with the fact that specialty stores are getting much more for their rent money — will allow Halloween stores to outperform what some analysts are expecting, he said.

"I think that ultimately, sales will be reported as being down year over year," he said. "But I do think that this particular niche will be doing just fine."

Burden stressed that even if stores don't push all their inventory, many of the costumes, accessories and decorations can be brought back the following season. Keeping that in mind, for those stores that can afford the space, it’s a unique opportunity for pop-up retailers to overcome a lousy economy.

"[It] is really a rare phenomenon, and I don't think we'll see it again once the economy gets back on its feet," Spirit CEO Tony Detzi said.

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