Mass. bakery transforms into ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ tribute

One bakery in Massachusetts is paying homage to a classic Halloween movie. Even more so, its turned the shop into a place where holidays like Halloween and Christmas collide.

At Pete’s Sweets, located at 32 Shaker Road in East Longmeadow, the bakery is hosting “The Nightmare Before,” a play on Tim Burton’s “A Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Upon stepping foot in the door, guests are instantly immersed with decorations fit for both holidays.

A Christmas tree stands in the corner decorated in jack o’lanterns and skeletons, festive stockings stand stuffed with Halloween garb, and even a spider webs intertwined with Christmas ornaments hang from the ceiling.

There’s also plenty of hauntingly delicious treats to try themed cupcakes, grave digger cakes and seasonal fall drinks like apple cider.

While still holiday festive, Pete’s Sweets takes part in themed events all year. In November, the store will transform into the universe of “Wicked.” It has also done Spongebob Squarepants and Willy Wonka themes.

And because the displays are so elaborate, owner of Pete’s Sweets, Peter Gray, noted that people from beyond Massachusetts are coming to check it out.

“Because social media came, people came in and posted some videos and did what the magic of social media does. And it resulted in people coming from near and far for these things now,” Gray told MassLive.

Customers have traveled from as far as New York and New Jersey, Gray recollected. He even had customers who rented an Airbnb in the area just to see the shop.

“I was like ‘this is what I wanted to do as a kid.’ I get to be paid to decorate and make people really happy.

“The Nightmare Before” will be at the shop through Halloween. The shop is open Wednesday through Friday’s from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday’s from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.