From Fortune · Jim Edwards · · 50s
Trump's tariffs nearly shut Spirit Halloween down
A 145% tariff on Chinese goods forced the Halloween retailer to halt shipments and preserve cash to survive.
In brief
A 145% tariff on Chinese goods forced the Halloween retailer to halt shipments and preserve cash to survive. Spirit Halloween stopped Asian shipments when Trump's tariffs hit 145% in 2025, forcing executives into crisis mode to keep the company alive. Originally reported by Fortune.
Tariff shock hits Spirit Halloween
On Trump's Liberation Day in 2025, U.S.tariffs on Chinese goods rose to a potential 145%.The timing was catastrophic: Spirit Halloween was shipping goods from Asia.
“This was going to put us out of business”
Supply chain under pressure
Up to 80% of Spirit's merchandise is imported, mostly from Asia, moving through 63 third-party logistics sites before reaching more than 1,550 stores.The process runs all year on a tight schedule.
“Every day is critical to us”
War room preserves cash
Spirit's executives set up a war room to respond to the crisis.Silverstein said the tariffs were worse than COVID.
“You start burning the furniture. You have to preserve your cash.”
The one thing
Spirit Halloween stopped Asian shipments when Trump's tariffs hit 145% in 2025, forcing executives into crisis mode to keep the company alive.
