This Fall in Chicago
Embracing the bizarre
This year-round costume shop marks 40 years of tricks, treats and trends. By Sara Freund
WHEN A CUSTOMER walks through the door at Chicago Costume, Courtland Hickey never knows what to expect. He grew up in the shop after his mom, Mary Hickey Panayotou started it in 1976, and now he’s the general manager. Over the years he has heard it all, so a customer’s request is never as weird as they think it is. A group of men asking for green Elvis wigs? No problem. It’s the busy season, surrounding Halloween, which means more costume hunters are pouring through the doors. The sparkling Venetian-style masks that line the front wall are the store’s most popular items; the array of feathers, glitter,
gems and masks steals your attention as you walk in. One of Hickey’s favorite things to see in his store is when someone who is normally reserved visits the shop only to throw on a pair of fake boobs and laugh. “Seeing people let loose like that, to see that transformation, never gets old,” he says. Downstairs you can find row
upon row of costumes for rent. The store has a huge selection of Game of Thrones and Star Wars costumes, including a serious Stormtrooper getup. His mom makes many of the custom costumes, including niche ideas like a costume based on Dave Chappelle’s Prince basketball sketch. But she primarily works on maintaining and repairing the mascot uniforms for teams like the Bulls and the White Sox. Though trends change, most
people don’t want a costume from a bag, says Hickey. They’d rather build outfits with funny hats, fake mustaches, makeup or wigs. He spends a ton of time researching
Time Out Chicago September–November 2016 2
“Seeing people let loose never gets old.”
what’s popular at C2E2, Wizard World and in comic books and movies. This year he’s prepared for Suicide Squad requests. Hickey himself never knows what he’ll be until the night before Halloween. Once he has closed up shop, he sifts through the leftovers with his black cat, Licorice, to come up with his own masterpiece. What w.Whatwa year? “He
as he last ear? “He-Man.”
PHOTOGRAPHS: SARA FREUND
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