“Wonderful to see you this evening,” said the Haunted Butler in his best Bela Lugosi impression.

Morning, noon or night, shoppers at Feeney’s Halloween Warehouse in Napa are greeted by the talking robot, which looks like a cross between Uncle Fester and an undertaker. 

“So glad you could be here,” he says in a devilish accent. 

The Haunted Butler welcomes shoppers searching for just the right pirate cutlass, princess wig or evil clown mask. 

Nick Mosley has worked for Sean Feeney’s seasonal store for six years. While some characters are always popular, he said, this year pirates, flapper girls and superheroes top the list. New movies also drive sales.

“A lot of people are asking for Iron Man,” said Mosley. 

Pirates remain a top seller, but this year the swashbuckling theme is more generic, and less Johnny Depp-influenced.

Business is good, he said. “People still like to spend the money at Halloween because it’s only once a year.”

Another disguise in demand is vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

“A guy came in and wanted Sarah Palin accessories,” said Mosley. While the store doesn’t sell Palin’s signature red jacket, “We got him a wig and glasses.”

At Party Time Paper and Crafts on Jefferson Street, Obama and McCain costumes are sold out. But some shoppers have other political figures on their minds.

“One of our customers wanted to be Joe the Plumber,” said co-owner Dotia Scriven.

Alex Hernandez, 7, of Napa, came to Feeney’s to pick up a specially ordered Robin costume. That’s Robin of Batman, not Robin of Teen Titans, explained his mom, Jaime. There’s a difference, and young Alex was very specific in his request. Jaime Hernandez said buying only one costume she’d spend less than $50 this Halloween. 

Rachael Dyer of Napa bought a pair of bunny ears, a tail and gloves at Feeney’s.

“I like going out with my friends and their kids in the neighborhood,” she said. She plans to spend about $40 on costumes, including a monkey outfit for her son, who conveniently slept in his car seat while she shopped.

Nora Simpson of Feeney’s said since Halloween falls on a Friday this year, she’s noticed more adults buying costumes for parties. “This week it’s more kids shopping,” she said. 

You never know what shoppers will go for, said Simpson. She pointed out a squishy “Maggot Ball.”

“All ages buy the Maggot Ball,” she said.

“People come in and say, ‘Ewwww, It’s gross,’ but they buy it anyway.” 

Sheri Fincher, another Feeney’s employee, said she likes Halloween more than Christmas.

“It’s the one time you can be something you’re not,” she said. 

Two surprise sellers at Party Time were bumblebee and lady bug costumes. The store is sold out of most bug outfits, said Scriven. Indiana Jones or Iron Man costumes are also long gone.

Dawn Slagle of Party Time said customers may need to be flexible on costume choices as Halloween gets closer and closer. “That’s when I tell them to be original and create their own.”

Sales are down this Halloween at Party Time, but not substantially, said Scriven. People may be buying less décor, but they always buy costumes.

“People are getting creative. They’re adding to things they have at home to make costumes,” she said.

Scriven estimated most adults spend between $30 and $60 for an outfit. 

At Party Time, Michaela Vann, 19, carefully inspected a pair of vampire fangs. A junior college student by day, Vann will become a vampire on October 31. She consulted with friend Elizabeth Laning on how to glue them to her teeth. Denture adhesive was recommended.

“The teeth are the last thing I need” to perfect the outfit, she said. 

According to the National Retail Federation, the average person plans to spend $66.54 on the holiday, up from $64.82 one year ago. Total Halloween spending for 2008 is estimated to reach $5.77 billion.

Halloween remains most popular with young adults, as 18- to 24-year-olds plan to spend $86.59 on the holiday, the most of any group.

Though the economy is struggling,” Halloween sales may be a bright spot for retailers this fall,” said Tracy Mullin, NRF President and CEO. “Consumers — who have been anxious and uncertain for the past several months — may be looking at Halloween as an opportunity to forget the stresses of daily life and just have a little fun.”