Annual pilgrimage to Foy's Halloween Wonderland! (lotsa pics)

[Kitsa]

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys28.jpg


In my version of Heaven, Foy's is right across the street from Jungle Jim's (http://www.junglejims.com). It's one of those wonders you poor bastards outside Ohio may never get to experience, and that's truly a shame.

Despite having a tragically shitty online presence (http://www.foyshalloweenstore.com/home.html), Foy's still manages to be kickass. It started out as a general store, I think, and sort of morphed into a Halloween thing without entirely leaving the general store aspect behind. And it's not one store, but a whole series of stores that more or less takes up the entire block. There's one devoted to general-store stuff, one devoted to high-end props, one devoted to kids' costumes, and so on:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys32.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys16.jpg

...I think it's safe to assume that a place that has demons capering on the roof and a guy vomiting toxic sludge by the front door is going to be worth a look.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys14.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys11.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys17-1.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys18.jpg

To begin with, almost all of the stores are stuffed floor to ceiling with just about every kind of crap imaginable. An entire wall is devoted to "titty beads". Classy!
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys3-1.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys1-1.jpg

They've cleared out a bunch of candy-sales bowls and filled them with just about any little cheapo toy you could want. There's row upon row of that stuff, and if that doesn't satisfy you, there's row upon row of bigger stuff, floor to ceiling. I think you could literally spend all day in the place and still not see everything there was to see.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys2.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys7.jpg

Hats, hats, hats! Heads to put in them!

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys5.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys30.jpg

After checking out at the penny candy counter and passing the puking guy on the way out, it's on to the next store:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys10.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys12.jpg

You can live like a king for 10 bucks at the first place, but the second is more high-end props. And you never quite know when one is going to fly out at you. It's like a haunted house that's also a store. For 5 bucks, you can watch the guy in the chair get electrocuted.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys26.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys21.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys19.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys22.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys25.jpg

...there are also several costume and makeup shops. I kinda liked the 666 satanic makeup.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys27.jpg http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/foys29.jpg

How can you not love this place? My next mission is to go there at night...I think last year everything was open till midnight and some of the places are only open very late. I MUST EXPERIENCE IT ALL.

[pac-man]

This instantly made me think of the shop from Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

[Kitsa]

Holy shit, you're right.

[DuFresne]

That website is now one of my favorites on the whole internets.

[Kitsa]

I'm guessing their kid did the website or something.

[Mockery]

http://www.foyshalloweenstore.com/images/570_IMG_0002.jpg

Ok, I officially want to go there now.

[Fathom Zero]

In my version of Heaven, I would live in Jungle Jim's.

[bigtimecow]

the background on that site is creepy as fuckkkkkk

[Mockery]

Does the store stay Halloweeny like that all year long or just for September/October?

[Kitsa]

I've only been there in September and October, and I can vouch for them being halloweeny before halloween season really kicks in. I plan to ask to go there for my birthday in March, so we'll see.

I believe that there's just so very much Halloween crap that they could never take it all down. I think it probably stays that way most of the year, give or take a few of the external displays.

I know that it is open all year. If I manage to go again (I'm campaigning for later this week, with a family friend), I'll ask.

[Kitsa]

Updated to add answer: yes, pretty much open all year, although it is tweaked for Christmas and Mardi Gras. Some external displays might be moved or removed.

Another update: The Ghostbusters car was nowhere in sight, but there was a spectacularly distasteful inflatable hearse in the house next to the town's funeral home.

[Kitsa]

Went back today and got more pics to share with you fine people.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/aliens.jpg
This had appeared since last time, it was in a yard a few doors down. Pretty effort-intensive halloween display.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/strobelightmonstersmall.jpg
They'd changed their guy at the bottom of the old stairwell. This one is much better. They had a strobelight on him and I took a badass video clip, which I'd turn into a gif but I'm tired.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/jasonvoorhees-Copy.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/evilpumpkinguysmall.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/corpsebridecensored.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/michaelmyerssmall.jpg

...and this, which I bought in the general store and can't figure out at all:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn199/kitsa_for_imockery/goolikeharmonysmall.jpg

[pac-man]

The aliens look like they're leaving church.

[Kitsa]

They really do.

[10,000 Volt Ghost]

This place looks amazing. Way too far away though. http://www.foyshalloweenstore.com/images/570_IMGA0669.JPG

I've seen this guy before in person. Pretty insane.

[Kitsa]

Bumping this to add some pictures of new stuff they've put up.

They've gotten kind of dickier about pictures. There are big signs up that say NO CAMERAS everywhere. I don't quite get that, because I don't think their monopoly on Halloween stuff (or downtown Fairborn, for that matter) is in any way threatened, and all publicity is good publicity.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20114.jpg

They've added a couple of figures to the roof, including a Ghostface that points down at the sidewalk.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20113.jpg

Couple of new things on the front of the Halloween prop shop.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20112.jpg

Creepy new clowns.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20111.jpg

Couple of big pumpkin-y things.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20115.jpg

The Jeepers Creepers guy is new, and the Psycho Farmer Gorilla is now naked. I think. Unless this is a different one. They also have both animatronic barfing guys out this year...usually it's one or the other.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20116.jpg

Zombie.

[kahljorn]

i dont understand why they wouldn't want people to take pictures ;/ prolly good advertisement.

are they scared people will make the shit on their own or something?

[Kitsa]

No idea. The people in the haunted house prop place are particularly mean about it.

[Mockery]

A lot of stores are like that. What they don't realize is that by not allowing people to take photos, it's not only ruining their chances for potential publicity, but it tends to make the customers not like them either... and that's surely not gonna help out sales.

Thanks for sharing the latest pics though, Kitsa!

[Kitsa]

I agree with Mockery that it's kind of a shitty move PR-wise.

edit: I forgot to add that there are some more huge outdoor displays, in the area where the aliens were before. This year there are three huge pirate ships with animatronic pirates dancing on the decks. There's a cannon that emits periodic puffs of smoke. I meant to get pics, but I never got lined up right to get a good photo (the parking lot is in the middle of the street, so there's a lot of dashing around to get across safely).

[replicant]

OMG! That's what I call heaven, that store... nice!

[k0k0]

How big is their cape selection that they advertise it out on the front of the building? I really wish capes would come back into style. I don't know of their modern day usage, but I really would like to see every other person walking down the street in one.

[Pentegarn]

While we're at it, bring back the monocle :posh

[k0k0]

I wanted to buy a monocle but they're more expensive that regular glasses, for ones that are actually functional. And none of them come in my strength, the lowest one. +1.00

[Pentegarn]

I may replace my glasses with opera binoculars, fuck peripheral vision

[Kitsa]

I was there again a few days ago and they are changing the outside characters up a little- there's a third animatronic puking guy, will have to check my photos

[Kitsa]

Yeah, they were right in the middle of putting up the outside displays last time I was there. Looks like a couple of new figures maybe.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20121.jpg

They were making sure the clown eyes flashed.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20122.jpg

This was the only functional animatronic puking guy, going strong on a motion sensor. The one that usually vomits green was turned off.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20123.jpg

This guy was new, but his head was down in the barrel and I couldn't see him.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20124.jpg

The window zombie in the adult costume shop was pushing a gurney this time. I guess they put her to work.

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20125.jpg

This was the only pic I dared snap in the store- as I said, they've been cracking down on photography, although I really don't know why. I'd want to be out there as much as possible if I were a little independent shop like this.

Happy Pony King warms the cockles of one's heart!

http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy271/kitsa_for_imockery2/foys20126.jpg

[Aaarg]

once i had warm cockles

the doctor told me it was a heart attak [sic]

[Mockery]

Anything new inside Foy's this season, Kitsa? Glad to see they're embracing the puke by adding a third animatronic puker. The new guy has some really nice chunks lining the top of the barrel there.

[Kitsa]

It was more or less the same. The Kids' costume store and the haunted house prop store weren't open yet, so I didn't get to check those- just went in the five and dime and the adult costume store. They were still gearing up for the season so it wasn't decked out in its full splendor.

The five and dime had a few elements missing- the animal masks were gone this time, I didn't see any "titty beads", and the Halloween Illusions demo machine was gone. The eyeball punch was still there and most other things were unchanged. They had a new display of those decals you put on top of toilets to make it look like spiders or snakes are crawling out of them. They were selling limited-edition diecut brass enameled Foy's storefront Christmas ornaments at the register for $20.

It looked as if they had cleaned up the toy section a little, which was disappointing for me because you used to be able to peer at the under-counter shelves and see all sorts of neglected 80s delights (like the Balzac I mentioned in the other thread). I didn't see a single WTFbus.