Right now, if you head to the Piñata District, you might come face to face with oversized jack-o-lanterns, menacing scarecrows and grinning witches. The small strip of Olympic, roughly between the Fashion District and the produce markets, is decked out for Halloween with piñatas that range from creepy-cute to gruesome. There are characters you’ll recognize from bedtime stories, horror films and, maybe, some of your nightmares. There is also a bounty of Halloween decorations and candy. Lots of candy. And gum too. So much that I could feel myself turn into a hybrid of Augustus Gloop and Violet Beauregarde as I rummaged through rows of chocolates and lollipops and other sweet treats. This tends to happen anytime I’m in the Piñata District. It’s hands down my favorite place in L.A. to stock up on candy and, if you’re getting ready for Halloween, and are near downtown, I suggest hitting up the Piñata District. 

Back in August, LAist reported that the Piñata District had been “pummeled” by the ICE raids that have dogged Los Angeles since the start of the summer, with one store reporting a 90% drop in sales and another noting that even price cuts weren’t bringing in customers. One of the reasons cited in the story is that people just aren’t having parties right now. But, with Halloween right around the corner, there’s a really good opportunity to support the Piñata District. You’ll be shopping in a way that’s budget-friendly for you while also helping out local businesses that have been impacted by the Trump administration’s cruel and absurd whims, rather than feeding more money into mega-corporations.