CHICAGO — For anyone still in need of an outfit for a Halloween party this weekend, dozens of permanent and pop-up costume shops are open around the city.
But for those who find themselves at 4 a.m. with a desire to choose among 800 discounted kids' superhero suits, Fantasy Costumes, 4065 N. Milwaukee Ave., is probably the best bet.
The block-sized Halloween superstore is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the Six Corners Shopping District by offering discounts up to 50 percent on thousands of items, including wigs, sunglasses, "sexy" outfits and clown masks — the last of which are especially popular this year, owner George Garcia said.
"There's so much new stuff coming in, we don't have enough room to keep it all," Garcia said.
Garcia opened Fantasy Costumes as a small wig shop in 1967, and in the past half-century he's absorbed multiple adjacent storefronts and knocked down the walls. Now around 10,000 square feet, the space includes a 360-degree makeup counter and a "sexy room" where no men are allowed to enter.
The store, which also sells lawn decorations and employs makeup artists for personalized jobs, will stay open continuously until 9 p.m. Tuesday.