With no big Halloween parties, how is one LA costume shop owner staying in business?

Halloween is just 10 days away. But LA County has discouraged trick-or-treating and prohibited large gatherings like parties. For shops that rent or sell costumes, Halloween is usually their Super Bowl. And Halloween this year takes place on a Saturday.

“You live for Fridays and Saturdays to be Halloween because it gives you a lot more parties. … And this year, not much of anything [is happening],” says Shon Le Blanc, owner of The Costume Shop in North Hollywood.

His shop is still open. He’s renting costumes for film, theater, and TV productions, as well as schools.

“The film and TV stuff, that will help. … We have a couple schools that are doing Zoom versions of shows. So everyone’s being very creative. … And I'm very tenacious. … It's my business. It's my life. It's what I do. I'm not intending to go anywhere,” he says.

However, are people throwing covert Halloween parties and coming to him for costumes? Le Blanc says he hasn’t seen anyone doing that.

Even after there’s a COVID-19 vaccine, does Le Blanc think his business will have to fundamentally change? He says yes. He’s working to become a costume designer who can go on-set, and he’s considering starting a retro vintage line of clothing with a friend in Beverly Hills.