We had the good fortune of connecting with BJ Rottinghaus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi BJ, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The process started with the idea of helping people. My family and I are huge Halloween fanatics, and we wanted to spread that joy to people who couldn’t experience it the same way we could. Through that, we created Y’alloween in 2021 and in the last three years have partnered with many other organizations like AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), HAWC (Houston Area Women’s Center), and the Salvation Army to give hundreds of costumes to kids in need across Texas.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The thing that sets us apart is our unique time of year. Christmas and Thanksgiving have many different charity organizations that work for people in need during that time, but Y’alloween is one of the few Halloween-centric charities. We were able to get where we are today thanks to our amazing partners, HAWC and AVDA. They partnered with us right away, and made it easy for us, despite our inexperience in the field. We want the world to know the joy of Halloween, and through our partnerships we want to spread the love of Halloween to the new generation.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some of the most exciting places to check out at the Museum District downtown. I’d personally take them to see the Natural History Museum, which has been one of my favorites since I was a kid. I just love the dinosaurs, gems, and mummies that they have on display there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A person I’d like to shoutout is Kush Mireles. He is a fellow student of mine and the leader of the Second Serve Initiative in Memorial. As a fellow tennis player, their mission to give gently used and new rackets to kids in need hits very close to home. Thanks to people like him, more people are able to enjoy the sport I love.

Website: yalloween.org

Instagram: @yalloweentx

Twitter: @yalloweentx

Facebook: @yalloweentx

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