Philadelphia has places for every kind of Halloween shopper, from the person who wants a ready-made costume to the DIY maximalist with a vision but not much time. Below are three local Halloween stores and one warehouse full of reusable items to get everything you need for your last-minute Halloween costume.
🎭 Masquerade by Costume Cabaret (Pennsport)
This year-round costume wonderland has pretty much every Halloween costume you could ever imagine. Shop racks of wigs, masks, special effects makeup, accessories, and costumes for kids. It’s also a great spot for last-minute Halloween decor, like these skull tea lights I’m eyeing.
🤡 D&J Costumes (Mayfair)
Don’t want to commit to just one idea? You can rent costumes at this Northeast Philly shop, whether you’re shopping for a Super Mario Bros costume, a masquerade look, or a classic Halloween vampire. The shop also offers party entertainment like magicians, clowns, and face painting if you’re hosting a big event.
✂️ The Resource Exchange (Norris Square)
For the DIYer with a very specific vision — or absolutely no plan at all — The Resource Exchange is a creative reuse warehouse filled with affordable art materials, fabric, scenery, props, and other wonderfully random finds. They’ve shared a few ideas for quirky items you can turn into costumes. The Resource Exchange is also hosting a costume contest for the best secondhand costume that uses at least one item from the store.
🧟 ScarePros Halloween & Horror (Levittown)
This Halloween shop is worth the trip to Bucks County for serious horror fans. Opened in 1994, ScarePros stocks over 30,000 items, including costumes, masks, wigs, props, and decorations, with plenty of creepy movie-inspired gear for anyone whose ideal Halloween look involves fake blood and a genuinely unsettling mask. One thing flying off the shelves: One Wish Willows from the movie “Obsession” (would you use one?).
