No disguise: It’s a successful costume shop

Jason Grissinger

It’s hard to agree on exactly what’ll be big this year in Halloween garb.

Austin Powers and Star Wars costumes still have staying power, but not much. The Renaissance and other historical themes are fun, but expensive.

Looks like disco rules again.

Charlotte Schultz of Thousand Oaks has a better idea.

"We’re going to have a bunco Halloween party and everyone has to dress up in the 50s," said Schultz, who left the Magic Planet costume shop in Thousand Oaks with a pair of funky sunglasses she plans to wear with her costume.

Anticipating huge Halloween sales over the next several weeks, store owner Michael Brotman has assembled a frightening display of rotten teeth, festering wounds, practical jokes and more.

Most of all, Brotman’s place has costumes–and lots of them.

Ladies, feel like being an exotic dancer for Halloween? Brotman has enough high-heel boots and boa feathers to stock to stock a Vegas nightclub act.

Pink hair and butterfly wings offer just the right touch.

It’s a scream to see all this merchandise in one store, but it’s the way Brotman has made his living for the past 20 years.

He provides all makes and manners of costumes for Halloween and other holidays. His gifts, gags and magic equipment also are good for year-round entertainment.

If you’re taste tends toward the sublime, check out the store’s Tarot cards, crystal balls, rhinestone tiaras and adult novelties.

Over the next few weeks, the Magic Planet will stock a bit of everything.

"I like helping to build the costumes. It’s a lot of fun," said Jason Grissinger, a Magic Planet employee.

Brotman predicts that based on this year’s Hollywood movies, gladiator costumes will be popular. Of course there’s the usual array of monster, mayhem and Mardi Gras outfits that never say die.

"The 70s thing for the last two years has been hot, Brotman said. "When I was in my teens, it was the 60s."

Every decade experiences nostalgia sooner or later, Brotman said. Try dressing for the Roaring 20s, for example, or the Big Band era of the 40s.

Those never go out of style.

"Now days, anything goes," said Thousand Oaks resident Lynn Zeigler, a character actor who shops regularly at Magic Planet. She comes not just for fun, but to buy costumes for her roles.

"We’ve got sci-fi, horror, mystery and comedy on TV and a lot of things are being done in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries." Zeigler said. "This is a perfect place because nobody knows where to go. It’s such a variety of choices here."

Putting on a ready-made costume is probably the easiest thing to do, but lots of people also like to improvise.

The store sells a variety of hats, for example, so why not just put on a fedora, derby, Stetson or top hat and build a costume around that?

"It’s kind of a classic Halloween and wide open this year," Brotman said. "We’ve got tons of merchandise but we’re clean and organized."

Whether looking to buy just a little something affordable or go all out and win first prize at a big party, visit the Magic Planet at 1781 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. Call (805) 495-1627 for more information, or visit the store’s Website via your computer at www.themagicplanet.com.

The store offers both costume sales and rentals.