Frightfully Good: Halloween Trick-or-Treat Draws Crowds to Local Businesses

Mercer Island businesses on both the north and south-end hosted a trick-or-treat event on Halloween this Monday, Oct. 31 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Hundreds of kids and families visited the businesses dressed as witches and wizards from "Harry Potter", "Mario" and "Luigi" from the Super Mario Brothers video game, "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" from Dr. Seuss's "Cat in a Hat" and Marvel Comics superhero characters, among others. The event was sponsored and organized by the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce.

Businesses with extra candy and parents interested in avoiding a steep dental bill are invited to drop off the sweets at the offices of local dentist Dr. David Weed, who is dontaing the candy to Operation Gratitude.

According to the non-profit organization, Operation Gratitude annually sends 100,000 care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in hostile regions, to their children left behind and to Wounded Warriors, Veterans and First Responders.

"Usually we let the kids keep what they want," Dr. Weed said. "What's really great is there's a lot of people that didn't have as many trick-or-treaters this year compared to the past, and so they brought it in."

He advised that children (and parents) avoid the hard candy, the Tootsie Rolls and chewy sweets that tend to stick in between the teeth.

"If they're gonna eat the candy, have a glass of water or milk — anything to keep the lasting sugar level down," he said. "Everything in moderation.

Here's a list of participating businesses from the Chamber-organized trick-or-treat, starting with businesses in the Town Center:

• A+ Cleaners
• Albertsons Grocery
• Aljoya
• All the Best Pet Care
• Anise Thai Cuisine
• Au Courant 
• Auto Spa
• Avellino
• Banner Bank
• c.michele 
• Cascade Frames
  
• Chick's Shoes
• Chase Bank
• Club Emerald
• Coldwell Banker Bain
• College Nannies
• Corry's Cleaners
• Dr. David Weed
• Fitness Together
• Great Clips
• Gourmet Teriyaki
• Hair Excel
• Han's Chinese Garden
• Harley Hoppe & Associates
  
• Island Books
• Island Cats
• John L. Scott
• Key Bank
• M.I Printing +
• M.I. Chamber of Commerce
• MIFD Station 91 Headquarters
• Menchie's
• Mercer Island Florist
• Mercer Island Martial Arts
• MIVAL Art Gallery
• Qdoba
• Franco & Pangallo
• Queen Nails
• Six Walls
• Siler's Cleaners
• Sterling Savings Bank
• Starbucks — The Lodge
• Starbucks — Tabit Square
• Tatters
• UPS Store
• Windermere Real Estate

Two South Mercer Shopping Center (Mercer Village Shopping Center) businesses are also participating:

• El Sombrero
• Lily's Foot Massage
• Mercer Nails & Spa
• QFC
• Sahara Pizza
• Salon 106
• Pete's South Mercer Chevron
• Starbucks
• Yuzen Japanese Cuisine
• MIFD Station 92
• Yo Mercer
• Storage Court of Mercer Island