Halloween just another season for year-round costume shop

When Kirk Dafoe opened Black-Tie 34 years ago he never planned to sell Darth Vader costumes next to three-piece suits.

“It was originally supposed to be strictly a tuxedo shop,” Dafoe said. “But one day a woman from California came in who was selling top hats – I found out she made costumes and it took off from there.”

For the past 31 years the store at 1017 S. Mission St. has served not only as a tuxedo store but also a year-round costume shop.

Fall is the busiest time of the year because it encompasses homecoming, Halloween and many weddings, Dafoe said.

“I like the selection here, it has to be the best one in town,” said Flushing senior Jennifer Travis as she purchased her “Cotton Candy Cutie” costume for Halloween.

Dafoe said he tries to make sure there is always a wide range of different styles to choose from.

“I try to buy no more than three of one kind of costume,” he said.

Dafoe is a member of the National Costumers Association and attends conventions where costume designers and vendors come together to pitch ideas and display their work.

He has been able to provide local high schools with their mascot costumes such as St. Louis High School’s Shark and Mount Pleasant High School’s Derrick the oil derrick mascot.

Black-Tie rents out about one to 10 costumes a week throughout the year, Dafoe said.
“People come in a lot for holidays like Christmas Santa Clauses, Easter Bunny suites and New Year’s parties,” Dafoe said.

The shop has more than 200 unique costumes available to rent from a beatnik outfit for $10 to a full out Darth Vader costume for $100.

“The price is completely dependent on how elaborate the costume is,” said employee and Lansing senior Kelly Teklinsky. “If it’s just a t-shirt and pants it will be cheap but if you have boots a mask and more accessories it will be more expensive.”

Dafoe said he typically spends $500 to $1,000 for a deluxe costume and he gets the outfits professionally cleaned after every use.

Teklinsky said occasionally people request funny costumes such as a chicken.

“Nothing is too crazy though because we have costumes like hot dogs and pizza,” she said.