Last minute purchases boost Halloween costume sales

Procrastination can be a huge cost for students when it comes to school work, but during Halloween season procrastination means more business for Campus Costume.

“We prepare for Halloween all year long,” Owner Kimberly McGuire said.

Kimberly and her husband, John McGuire, own Campus Costume.

Campus Costume caters to different party and holiday needs all year long, but Halloween is what keeps them on their toes.

Although Halloween is Campus Costume’s biggest event to prepare for all year, Christmas and Mardi Gras get their runs in too, Kimberly said.

“When you walk in around Christmas time there are Santa Claus costumes galore,” Campus Costume employee Kristin Stroud said.

But after the Halloween weekend ends, it’s back to inventory for the Campus Costume staff.

They reflect on what costumes were sold the most and which ones did not become a hit seller.

Anything really humorous that  has to do with beer has sold well for the men and “Top Gun” and sailor costumes have sold exceptionally well for the women this year, Kimberly said.

Kimberly and John make it a requirement to go to costume shows that take place in Chicago and Las Vegas.

“At the costume shows, we get to see the products and talk to the suppliers,” Kimberly said.

One thing they have been wanting to focus on is providing a more diverse selection of Halloween costumes, John said

At the beginning of December,  they start ordering their new costume shipments.

“We are trying to expand and fit more in the space that we have,” Kimberly said.
Campus Costume now has more than 2,000 different costume styles and 3,000 square feet of accessories.

That is five times more than what they started with seven years ago, Kimberly said.

“There’s a lot going on,” IU law student and customer Brett Jefferson said. “If there is anything you want or need for a costume, they have such a big selection for you to choose from.”

Once July rolls around, Kimberly and John remodel the store in order to promote their selection of fireworks.

After the Fourth of July, they reassemble the store back into its Halloween set up.

“If I had a magic wand I would add another side to the store so I could keep both up,” John said.

Before Campus Costume began selling fireworks, Halloween sales used to bring in 80 percent of their sales.

Now Halloween brings in 60 percent of sales in addition to fireworks sales.

“We wouldn’t be successful if it wasn’t for this college town,” John said.

Two days before Oct. 31, Campus Costume employees are experiencing the rush they look forward to every year, John said.

“The amount of people ramps up exponentially throughout the peak hours of the day,” employee Jason Rinehart said. “With procrastination, there will be at least a hundred people in the store at one time, and it will take 20 minutes to get from one side to the other.”