Halloween figures are part of the seasonal decorations at Betelgeuse Betelgeuse in Houston.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
A giant spider on the lawn, skeletons on the ceiling and creepy Halloween characters are all part of the seasonal transformation at Betelgeuse Betelgeuse this year.
The Sixth Ward pizza bar is entering its busiest time of year: Halloween season. Since it opened on Washington Avenue in 2022, it has gone big for Halloween. But this year, the bar was loaned $20,000 worth of decor, which owner Chris Cusack said, when combined with his existing decor, brings the total to around $40,000 in Halloween accessories.
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He said a local Halloween enthusiast reached out to him this summer offering to loan his decor to the bar. The donor wished to stay private. He had recently retired from the oil and gas industry, and had collected thousands of dollars worth of Halloween decor over the years for decorating his downtown office building and home.
Each year he would create themes and scenes, such as “Halloween in the multiverse,” which included aliens. Cusack called him a “DIY maniac” after seeing his work.
The lender wanted his prized possessions to be seen by people. He was encouraged to reach out to a bar or restaurant, and Betelgeuse was top of mind because it had become a Halloween hot spot.
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Halloween decorations fill the interior of Betelgeuse Betelgeuse in Houston.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
His decorations, which are already on display, include a giant spider that is a focal point of the patio. The lender called it his prized possession, worth $1,800. There are also life-size figures of a werewolf, witch and scarecrow that together are valued around $1,000.
“We spent like 10 to 12 hours together moving stuff over the last three weeks, and at the end of it, I was like, I have a good feeling that I’m going to know this guy for a long time,” Cusack said.
Cusack has learned a lot about Halloween decorating over the years: how to use light, color and textures to get the most impact in a space. He closed the restaurant for two days to set up. He started with the new decor before tapping into his own $20,000 worth of decorations that he’s collected over the years.
In the karaoke room, witch hats and paper lantern jack-o’-lanterns hang from the ceiling; creepy ghosts stand on the stage. That room was made to have pops of color under black light. The other dining room was made to look like a graveyard on the ceiling, with skeletons that look like they’re crawling out. Colorful lights hang from floor to ceiling and cover the large windows. Outside, hay bales around the life-size Halloween characters make for a photo op, which the bar lacked last year. Inflatables, which the bar has used in years past, are still to be added outside.
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Halloween-themed drinks at Betelgeuse Betelgeuse in Houston.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle
The second Betelgeuse location in Montrose will also be decked out for Halloween, but Washington goes bigger since it has more space. Cusack’s immersive goth tiki bar will also get some Halloween decor. He said there was enough decor for all three places.
Betelgeuse has just debuted its Halloween cocktail list too, including favorites like the black lemon drop. New this year is a black frozen version of an espresso martini called the Black Cat. The Devil’s Candy, with mezcal, mango and chamoy, is also new.
Cusack has events planned for the month. Karaoke will be held every Friday and Saturday. There will be a pet costume contest, along with live music from a hard rock band later in the month.
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Halloween, which falls on a Saturday this year, is expected to draw crowds at Betelgeuse. Last year, Cusack said there was a line around the block to get in. It was the bar’s best Halloween yet in terms of sales.
“I themed this bar around the idea that we would be able to do this, so this has always been a part of it from day one. We wanted to be able to go crazy on Halloween here,” Cusack said. “This is our corner.”
Halloween decorations light up the patio at Betelgeuse Betelgeuse in Houston.
Ana Khan/Houston Chronicle