ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — With Halloween approaching, costume shoppers in West Michigan have a unique option tucked away in a Sparta area pole barn that offers thousands of costumes at budget-friendly prices.
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The Costume Craze Barn has been operating for 21 years after owner Sally Orlow started the business following her retirement. What began as an over-enthusiastic purchase for her grandchildren has evolved into a sprawling costume operation.
"I bought enough costumes for dress up for 100 grandkids, and we only had five grandkids at the time," Orlow said. "And I said to my husband, now what do I do? He says, Well, you have to probably start a business."
The business has grown so much that Orlow now uses her husband's pole barn and two additional storage locations to house her inventory. Her collection includes everything from classic Halloween staples to elaborate character costumes.
"The stuff I have is top quality. I don't have the latest greatest fads. I stay with a good old staple, witches and transformers, and stuff like that. But there's a big, big, huge variety," Orlow said.
Despite the store's off-the-beaten-path location, customers continue to discover the business. Jennifer Kurti visited with her 3-year-old daughter, Brooks, on Wednesday after finding the store through a Google search.
"I think it's great. We didn't really know about it. We found it on Google, and here we are, and there's a lot of costumes, and very reasonably priced," Kurti said.
The large selection and pricing appear to be a major draw for customers. Orlow says her costs are significantly lower than big-box retailers.
"I had one lady come and say, Well, her son spent $200 at a big box store for two outfits, he could have probably bought 10 outfits here for $200 quality outfits, not junk," Orlow said.
"So, shopping at Meijers right now, it's slim picking for sure. Costumes range anywhere between 40 to 60. So, we definitely saved at least 30% coming here, if not more," Kurti said.
For Orlow, the business is about more than profit. She enjoys helping customers find quality costumes for what she considers one of the year's biggest celebrations.
"It's one of the biggest holidays of the year because people love to dress up. They go to parties, and they have so much fun," Orlow said.
The Costume Craze Barn is open Thursday through Saturday from noon until 9 p.m. The store is located at 13086 Foxwood Drive NE Sparta, Michigan.
For more information on their website, click here.
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