Local stores plan far in advance for Halloween, but many students err by not following suit.
The National Retail Federation estimates that 43 percent of Americans plan to dress in costume this Halloween – up from 40.1 percent in 2010. Far more dress up for the Halloween Block Party on Court Street, though, and many buy their costumes here in Athens.
Party City Retail Group, parent company of more than 400 Halloween City stores in 24 states, opened the Halloween City shop at 1002 E. State St. in September. Preparations for the next year start as soon as the Halloween hoopla dies down.
“The day we shut down the store, Nov. 3 or 4 or so, we’ll inventory everything in (Halloween City) and start figuring out what we’re going to have for next year,” said Marty Stern, executive assistant manager of Athens’ Halloween City.
Once a Halloween City location is chosen in July or August, the necessary renovations. Light fixtures and displays are installed and when the space is ready, inventory for the upcoming Halloween begins to arrive.
“There are trends,” Stern said. “The masks are always going to be different ... every year something’s going to be changing.”
Halloween City has created a method to keep its store organized. Pictures of the store’s 94 bagged costume options are posted to the back wall, and after making their selections, customers inform employees who retrieve it from the back.
Another store, Schoolkids at 12 S. Court St., takes a different approach.
Identified by its storefront displays of glitter bras, quirky costumes and posters, the store prepares for the season by adding traditional Halloween fare to its vintage clothing selection.
“During the summer we start watching for movies, trends and things that are coming out and focus on preordering for those trends,” said Alysia Galt, a manager at Schoolkids.
Athens Underground at 90 N. Court St. also beefs up its inventory. Where Schoolkids buys Halloween-specific items, though, owner Barbara Stout is purposefully less direct about merchandizing.
“My customer is the more creative customer,” Stout said, “I carry a much higher quality wig and accessories that can be re-used. Part of what we market is that you can re-wear, at least parts, of your costume in different combinations.”
Despite the advance planning of local businesses, there are still moments where inventory runs out.
“Get here (Halloween City) early. Everyone procrastinates,” Stern said. “The two weeks before Halloween it is going to be packed in here — it’s going to be difficult.”
The perfect accessories are not what make the best costume, though.
“If you’re going to be something, you’ve got to get into character. It’s not just about what you’re wearing,” Galt said. “It’s loving the character and getting into character because that makes it 100 times better.”
mt360307@ohiou.edu
