This election year, costume shops declare early victory

Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO — Many Americans may be cringing at this year’s unconventional, contentious election season, but some merchants have spotted a silver lining: It’s good for business.

Specifically, the costume business.

Election years are always a boon for Halloween sales, but this year’s candidates have driven unusually brisk business, said Courtland Hickey, general manager of Chicago Costume, which has two year-round stores.

“Trump is the most costume-marketable candidate in history,” Mr. Hickey said. “If people were going to imitate Mitt Romney, he didn’t have that much flavor. But there are easily a dozen marketable products for Trump.”

Political costumes aren’t generally hot sellers, and Chicago Costume was caught a bit flat-footed by the demand for Donald Trump masks last year.

“A lot of people thought (his candidacy) was a joke, so there wasn’t a lot of merchandise,” Mr. Hickey said.

But this year, Halloween and costume shops are ready with extra electionthemed accessories.

Chicago Costume’s website lists four Trump masks, including a $29.99 “Billionaire Buffoon — Tanned” option and four Trump wigs. For those dressing as Hillary Clinton, there are two mask and wig options. Chicago Costume also carries “Make America Great Again” hats, tanning products and miniature false hands.

Each Spirit Halloween pop-up store will have a “Making Halloween Great Again” section with its election merchandise. In addition to the usual paper and latex masks, Spirit added new oversized foam masks that give wearers a “bobblehead effect,” said spokeswoman Trisha Lombardo, and offer a choice of expression, including a yelling Trump, smirking Trump, or wide-eyed and openmouthed Clinton. Also new this year is toilet paper with a candidate’s face on each square.

Even in an election year, there will be far more Batmen and witches than Donalds and Hillarys. About 4 percent of adults over 35 plan to wear a political costume this Halloween, the third most popular costume for older adults, behind witches and pirates, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation.

But Hickey said that might underestimate sales, since many customers buy the items as a gag, not their real Halloween costume.

Others buy them for election-themed Halloween lawn displays, said Cathy Bunger, manager at Fantasy Costumes in Chicago. She’s also been selling Clinton, Trump and Bernie Sanders masks and wigs to people attending costume parties or filming election spoof YouTube videos all summer, she said.

Overall, Americans plan to spend about $8.4 billion on Halloween, up from $6.9 billion last year, with those buying costumes expecting to spend about $46 on average, according to the retail federation’s survey. Spirit has opened more than 1,200 seasonal stores in the U.S. and Canada, up from 1,165 last year, Lombardo said. Chicago Costume also has three pop-up stores — fewer than in some years, as it’s hard to find good locations at affordable rents, Hickey said.

Both Spirit and Fantasy Costumes will be keeping a close eye on mask sales, which the retailers claim is a surprisingly accurate election statistic.

Since 1996, the candidate who led Spirit’s “Presidential Mask Index” by selling the most masks goes on to win the election, according to Lombardo.

“This year is such a different election, a lot more eventful than usual, so we are eager to track the progress of mask sales,” she said.

At Fantasy Costumes, the candidate whose mask sells out first also tends to go on to victory, Bunger said.

“I couldn’t tell you who’s up now because we haven’t done an inventory count,” she said. “But we have plenty, and we’re ready for the season.”

At Chicago Costume, Mr. Hickey was more skeptical of mask sales as a predictor of election results, noting George W. Bush masks also were popular even in blue state Illinois. “He was not getting the purchases because people liked him. I do think most people are making fun of the characters they’re buying, and I wouldn’t say that necessarily translates into votes.”

Even as she stocks up for “the strangest election ever,” Ms. Bunger said Fantasy Costumes employees avoid taking sides to avoid offending customers.

“I’ll sell them anything,” she said. “We try not to talk too much politics here.”