|
Jonathan Rodriguez of the Bronx will work in costume during his shift at the Goodwill store on Halloween. PHOTO: Mike Fitelson
Whether you are looking for costumes, decorations, candy, or trick or treating, you can find it on W. 181st Street. The Washington Heights Business Improvement District (BID) is the place to go to live out your fantasy alter ego, for both children and adults.
Hands down, the area’s creepiest window display is the graveyard scene on W. 179th Street at St. Nicholas Avenue. It depicts tombstones, a mummy and a giant snake feasting on a dismembered leg.
It’s the calling card for Party Fun, which shares store space with San Pedro Pharmacy. Ricky’s Costume Superstore may have made a splash when it popped up on W. 181st Street last year, but Party Fun has considered itself the area’s Halloween headquarters for 30 years.
Inside are a half dozen aisles of costumes, decorations, sound effects, and fake weaponry, from meat cleavers to chainsaws.
Store manager Richard Perez said he begins researching what will likely be the season’s hottest selling costumes over the summer. Then the inventory arrives in September.
The range of costumes is exhaustive. For boys, superheroes (including Green Lantern, based on the success of the recent film), police, and ninja costumes are all the rage. For girls, Barbie and Bratz are popular. Have twins? Try the matching Thing 1 and Thing 2 costumes from the Dr. Seuss books. Toddlers and pre-toddlers can also live out their parent’s dreams, dressing as an angel, football player, or princess. (But, where is the “sleeps through the night” costume, the greatest fantasy some parents have for their newborns?)
About half the inventory is devoted to adult fantasies, mostly women’s. Some of the more, ah, eye-opening outfits include Mother Superior, Princess Leia, and anything in the Playboy line of costumes. There is even a baker’s costume for pregnant women (to showcase the bun in the oven).
Perez says the store sells between 20 and 50 costumes every day.
But that’s nothing compared to what it’s going to be like when the last-minute shoppers descend.
“People will line up down the street, whether it’s raining, freezing,” he said. “People come in at like eight in the morning.”
Because of the economy, Perez has marked all Halloween merchandise 25 percent off.
Kids’ costumes can also be found at most of the area children’s and 99-cent stores.
Another stop for shoppers looking for an adult costume is Zodiac on St. Nicholas Avenue, a half-block north of W. 181st Street. The back wall rack has women’s costumes like French maid, construction worker, nurse. “The most popular is Catwoman,” said Bassam Masoud, Zodiac’s store manager for the last 10 years.
The Zodiac staff also dresses up for Halloween and they get so many trick-or-treaters that “business pretty much stops after 4 p.m. until close – we are giving candy to kids,” he added.
Growing up upstate and Palestinian by birth, Masoud said he never celebrated Halloween. But if he had his choice of taking on an alter ego, it would be a police man or soldier.
If you are looking for that vintage look this Halloween, or want to pinch a few pennies for what will likely be a one-night only costume, visit the Goodwill store on the eastern end of W. 181st Street. You’ll hardly be the only one. October is traditionally the store’s busiest month.
Customers shop for new coats with the onset of the cold weather, second-hand costumes, and that accessory to complete the perfect Halloween look.
“We play to [Halloween] the way some stores play to Christmas,” said Goodwill spokesperson Alfred G. Vanderbilt. “We are very well suited to it. You can really accessorize immensely at a Goodwill store. Buy a basic costume and make it special by not spending a lot of money.”
The Goodwill store on W. 181st Street has already had one window sale of Halloween merchandise and plans two more specials for the end of the month.
The “Better Late Than Never” sale will slash prices 50 percent on all Halloween decorations on October 29th and 30th. Then the “Haunt Goodwill for Special Savings” sale on October 30th and 31st will discount 30 percent for anyone who comes in costume. (Restrictions may apply to both sales.)
Staff will also dress up at the store and pass out candy on Mon., Oct. 31st.
Many of the stores in the Washington Heights Business Improvement District offer candy for young trick or treaters.
At Sight ‘n’ Style optical on W. 181st Street near Broadway, the entire staff will dress up in costumes for the first time ever, although there is still some indecision as to who will be who.
As of late last week, only Rosa Peña knew for sure what she would be.
“Definitely Morticia from the Addams’ Family,” said Rosa, a sales associate at the store. “Everybody tells me I have her hair; [so] that makes it easy.”
Her colleagues were still making up their minds. Ana Rodriguez might be Velma from Scooby Doo because she has the hair for it. Crystal Matos thought she would be an Indian or a leopard. “Maybe I should be a princess,” Matos added. “Every girl goes through a princess phase.”
There is no such indecision for Jonathan Rodriguez, who has worked at Goodwill for the last seven months. He’s going to be an alien wearing a hoodie.
The Bronx resident grew up trick or treating on W. 181st Street and loves the season and the hectic crowds of people it attracts.
“I’m enjoying myself now, doing this,” he said, after being photographed wearing a scary mask and costume on the corner of Audubon Avenue and W. 181st Street.
How much does he enjoy dressing up? He came in on his off day just to pose.
Where to go for Halloween costumes and trick or treating on W. 181st Street.
Sight’n Style
665 W. 181st St
212-927-1000
Phillip Sinoway is the owner, Ana Rodriguez, Crystal Matos, Rosa Peña
Party Fun, Inc
1381 St. Nicholas Ave
212-568-6410
Richard Perez
Jay Patel is the owner
99 cent world
4242 Broadway
212-740-0010
Zodiac
1428 St Nicholas Ave
212-928-8502
Santana Banana
661 W. 181st St
212-568-4096
Tribeca
659 W. 181st St
212-740-1700
Goodwill
512 W. 181st St
212-923-7910
Dunkin’ Donuts
728 W. 181st St
212-923-9239
|
