The devil may have went down to Georgia in the song, but some may think he currently resides at the Halloween Express in the Huntington Mall.

The store opened in August and sells only Halloween merchandise. A seasonal franchise, it will close Nov. 1.

Among the items for sale are masks resembling Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, and costumes that look like Freddie Krueger and Friday the 13th¹s Jason. And, they have everything else in between.

Kerri Dean, sales associate at the store, said it carries a wide-range of items to suit just about anyone with an appetite for Halloween.

³A big thing in our store are the masks,² she said. ³We have any mask that you can think of.²

While the masks are very popular with college students, Assistant Manager James Greathouse said there is also a demand for a variety of costumes for younger people.

Anything from Power Rangers to a princess can be found stocked on the store¹s shelves.

Both workers agreed that overall sales have been slow but their holiday rush will be coming soon. Greathouse said many people were just getting ideas at first, but are now starting to come back to buy, afraid of the store selling out of what they needed.

This trend is increasing so much he has had to open a second register for regular use.

Dean said the store is divided into sections so children will not be exposed to items that may be considered too graphic by parents.

It does carry items some people may find inappropriate, but they try to keep things separated for sake of the wondering eyes, she said.

³Most of the time children come in with their parents and that is a decision they have to make on their own,² Dean said. ³We don¹t have anything dirty.²

Besides costumes and masks, the store also sells props and accessories.

A life-size prop, such as Frankenstein, will run about $400, but some people will pay that amount, Dean said.

She said the store has had some requests for the big props from people who are creating haunted trails and haunted houses, but the props ³just sit there.²

Props the store has carried includes a large haunted tree and a spider web.

Greathouse said artificial limbs are also a hot attraction this year.

³Every person that walks in and picks up the arm sticks it up their sleeve,² he said. ³You don¹t go a day without seeing 20 people do it.²

But unlike some places where all is business, playing is part of the fun that surrounds the Halloween Express.

Greathouse said the fun extends from the smallest child to the oldest adult.

He said he often hears ³you are never too old for Halloween.²

Greathouse conceded he may have been caught off guard by the excitement surrounding the night of the spirits.

³I didn¹t realize Halloween was getting so big until I started working here,² Greathouse said.

And what about the fake animals in front of the store?

³We do leave the cat laying out there, that crushed cat, and we haven¹t had too many little kids running and screaming from the store,² Greathouse said.

Greathouse also mentioned people sometimes make comments about the fake rats that can only move their heads because they are caught in traps. He said while some people say it is gross, he is aware of no one who has been appalled to the point of not coming back or protesting.

³The whole point of Halloween is to be scary,² Greathouse said. ³I would say shoving it in peoples¹ face wouldn¹t be good. It would be a little tasteless.²

Halloween Express is a franchise of 64 stores across the United States. There is also a Halloween Express in the Charleston Town Center.

Dean said the store will match the price on any costume that is sold cheaper by other competitors. Those who enjoy the gags of Halloween will probably feel at home inside the store. Those who do not might have to be content with the shopping throughout the mall.