WALDORF, Md. — Spirit Christmas opens its only Maryland location November 2025 at 3009 Waldorf Market Place, converting the former DSW Shoes space into a holiday pop-up retailer stocked with decorations and gifts. The 25,000-square-foot store, part of Spencer Gifts LLC’s expansion to 30 outlets across 12 states, follows the November 2 closure of the adjacent Spirit Halloween operation. Hours run 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays through December.
The debut fills a gap in Charles County’s seasonal shopping options, drawing families from Waldorf and nearby areas like La Plata and Indian Head. Store managers confirmed the soft launch aligns with national rollout, prioritizing quick setup in vacant big-box sites. “We’re transforming spaces into winter wonderlands,” Spencer Gifts spokesperson Marisa Simonson said October 21. Early visitors can browse more than 1,000 items, including pre-lit artificial trees up to 12 feet tall, outdoor light strands, ornaments starting at $5 and inflatable yard displays up to $300.
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Interactive features include a gingerbread village setup for mailing letters to Santa and checking the naughty-or-nice list. Apparel selections cover festive sweaters, elf costumes and pet accessories, while gifts range from personalized stockings to tabletop nativity scenes. Environmentally focused lines, such as recycled-material wreaths, comprise 30 percent of inventory, per company data. Assembly services for trees and larger purchases add convenience for shoppers along U.S. Route 301.
Santa photo sessions, hosted in partnership with Cherry Hill Programs, begin November 21. Reservations open online at no cost, with walk-ups welcome subject to availability. Sessions last 15 minutes, shared among families, and include a free digital postcard. Hours: Fridays 3 to 7 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays noon to 6 p.m. Packages, selectable onsite or in advance, start at $25 for digital downloads and rise to $100 for prints and frames. Sensory-friendly events occur December 7 at select sites, including Waldorf, accommodating families with special needs.
Waldorf Marketplace, a 475,000-square-foot open-air center with anchors Safeway, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods, hosts over 65 tenants including restaurants like Panera Bread and apparel outlets. The addition supports a 15 percent foot traffic increase during November-December, according to Southern Maryland Retail Association figures for 2024. Center management anticipates 200 temporary jobs from the pop-up, many going to local high school students from North Point and St. Charles highs.
Spencer Gifts, based in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, launched Spirit Christmas in 2024 with eight Northeast stores, quadrupling to 30 this year amid projected $989 billion in U.S. holiday spending. The model uses 90-day leases to target impulse buys in decor, which accounts for 12 percent of seasonal sales per National Retail Federation estimates. In Charles County, where e-commerce grew 22 percent last year, physical venues like this counter with hands-on experiences such as pine-scented diffusers and light tunnel displays.
The Waldorf site joins outlets in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Flagship store in Mays Landing, New Jersey, opened October 17, with most following in late October or early November. Spencer reported $800 million in 2024 revenue, half from seasonal formats, emphasizing low-overhead adaptability post-pandemic.
Local tie-ins include a November 15 toy drive with Toys for Tots at the management office, collecting new items through December 20. A November 8 launch event features carolers and hot cocoa from 4 to 7 p.m., free to attendees. Parking, expanded by 500 spots in spring 2025, eases access during peak weekends. Environmentally, the retailer donates one tree to the Arbor Day Foundation per 10 sold, supporting Charles County’s 40 percent tree canopy.
Pop-up retail surged in Southern Maryland after 2020, with vacancy rates dropping to 4 percent by mid-2025 in Charles County. Initiatives like this bolster nonprofits; select fundraisers benefit the Charles County Sheriff’s Office toy drive December 1-15. As temperatures dip to 55 degrees in November, the store positions Waldorf as a holiday hub, blending tradition with streamlined sourcing for residents commuting to Washington.
