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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2002)
Students can go local to get holiday stuff Area merchants offer costumes, candy, tricks, treats and more, especially places around downtown Eugene Athena Ehnot Freelance Reporter Halloween is slowly creeping up and excited trick-or-treaters all over are searching for the best costumes around. So, where do the scariest goblins, witches and vampires score those crucial items that set them apart from the rest? Eugene is full of places to find fabulous costumes and Halloween decor for the night of scary excitement. Whether your search is for a ready-made costume or you want a do-it-yourself outfit, you’re sure to find what you need if you just shop around. The Halloween Super Store is a good place to find just about any thing on your list. The store is owned by Spencer’s and is located at 1020 Green Acres Road. It has everything from doggie devil costumes to pimp hats to animated gargoyles for the front porch. “Kids are diggin’ Spiderman, and adults are really into pimps and hoes this season,” said Kasey Rajkovic, an employee at the Super Store. The store offers a large selections of ready-made Halloween outfits, with prices ranging from about #2 to #60. Wigs, vampire teeth, gory limbs and other festively grotesque items can add to any costume. If you are one of the do-it-yourself types, there are several places to get the items you need. Value Village Thrift Store, located at 555 W. Centennial Blvd, is full of items, and sure to help students stay within their budget. “The prices are good,” said Hector Ramirez, a shopper at Value Vil lage. Ramirez said he will be out on Halloween in his “Supa’ Fro” wig and other accessories from the thrift store. “I looked all around and found the best prices here,” he said. Goodwill is another place Halloween bargain hunters can get their costumes without hurting their bank accounts. With seven locations in the Eugene-Springfield area, students are bound to find what they need. “I combined the slightly used goods of Goodwill with some things I found around the house,” said sophomore Stacy Borke, a journalism major who plans to dress up as a pirate. Other places to shop for Halloween gear are Delphina, located at 446 E. 13th Ave., Eugene Jeans Vintage Outlet at 132 E. 13th Ave. and Buffalo Exchange Ltd., located at 131 E. Fifth Ave. You can also rent costumes at Nobody’s Baby, located at 365 E. 13th Ave., where a full costume rental costs #45 per day. Athena Ehnot is a freelance writer for the Emerald. Danielle Hickey Emerald Last-minute costumes are abundant at Backstage Dancewear. Costume continued from page 2B Walterscheid agreed. He said most of his friends head straight for the second-hand stores, as time pro vides. So far, he hasn’t taken a first glance. But he’s not too worried. “I’ve been able to scrounge together cos tumes a week before,” he said. Anderson said the only people she knows who seem all ready for Halloween are young children, set to hit the streets for a night of trick-or-treating. She said she’s been hearing about soon-to-be witches and Power Rangers for weeks now from children she knows. Kathy Freedman, theatrical buyer for Backstage Dancewear, said her store is pre pared for the flood of shoppers right up until the big day. The shop has been stocked with everything from skull caps to vintage hosiery and beyond. “We’ve got military insignia from God knows where,” Freedman said. Although Halloween business has been slow so far, she said in the past few years more and more customers came through looking for 1960s, ’70s and ‘80s fashions. Keeping in tune with that theme, she said Backstage Dancewear is prepared, with ele phant bellbottoms, ruffled retro tuxedos and “junk for joy” (used) clothes rounding out the other costume selections for all shapes, styles and sizes. For those brave enough, she said, they’ve even got bodysuits. “They’re made out of the most unbeliev able polyester,” she said. Freedman said costumes can range in price, but a decent outfit can run about $30 to $40. Her best tip in finding the right cos tume is for people to be a little adventurous. “Use their imaginations,” she said. “If they can come in a little early, they can do just about anything,” she said. But for those in the same boat as Ander son and Walterscheid, there is still hope. “For the people with $5 on Halloween night,” she said, “we can help them too.” Robin Weber is a freelance writer for the Emerald. ov/e of +b r wore de+a wwwjoes-arwexacorv*
