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University Daily Kansan, October 28, 1981
Inside
Halloween falls on weekend; merchants raking in profits
By LISA BOLTON Staff Reporter
For the first time in 11 years, Oct. 31, Halloween, falls on a Saturday.
This coincidence please local merchants, who anticipate a weekend of celebration, calling for such Halloween paraphernalia as "fun-size" candy bars, pumpkin-print party masks and strange rubber masks.
Matt Price, Hallmark buyer for Raney Drug Store, 921 Massachusetts St., chooses the store's greeting cards, invitations, paper plates and napkins.
UNLKE SOME discount stores,
Price said, Raney puts out its
Halloween merchandise at the same
time each year, about five weeks before the holiday.
HE SAID customers started buying cards and party equipment as soon as they appeared on the shelves.
He added Raney's had already sold out of one new Halloween toy, a $6 beanie designed to look like a bat.
"We get new new items in each year, and people start buying them right away, before they run out," he said.
At Gibson's Discount Center, 2525 Iowa St., Halloween buying began a little earlier than usual this year, Marvin Smith, store manager, said.
He said he began putting out Halloween candy, children's masks and costumes during the fourth week
KURT JACKSON/Kansan Staff
or September, about three or four days earlier than last year.
HE SAID THE earlier shelf date was due to requests from customers.
"People are buying earlier and earlier," he said. "They're planning their expenses much more carefully."
STEVE MEHL, co-manager of TG [Y, 711 W. 23rd St., said he had streamlined Halloween ordering this year.
"We have the same amount of merchandise as last year, but we've bought more of our best sellers and more of things that don't do as well," he said.
Cartons of candy and costumes began arriving in August, Meli said, but they didn't appear on the shelves until mid-September.
"Halloween is more like a-week-before-Halloween buying," he said, because people don't want a lot of candy sitting around for weeks before trick-or-treaters actually start knocking on their doors.
ADULTS COSTUMES have been selling well, too, at Footlights, 2449-Iowa St., and at Fun and Games, 1002-Iowa St., according to the store's owners.
"These last three or four days have been tremendous for business," said Harry singer, co-owner of Footlights.
He said he began stocking his shelves Oct. 1 with rubber masks, which allow anyone with $3 to $3 to wear the Nixon or a worewolf for a night.
Fun and Games owner Larry Cornelius said he began putting out costumes, masks and makeup near the museum. He answered, about the same time as last year.
"Last year, I had people asking me why my Halloween stuff was out so soon," he said. "This year, people were asking why it wasn't out
HE SAID HE'D been promoting Halloween dress by dressing up in costumes and masks during business hours. He also added this to a good year for Halloween.
"it's a release from day-to-day tension," he said. "To me, Hallowen is one day you can get out and be back." And that's the night that anything goes."
JOHN EISELE/Kansen
Above, Jim Snyders, 6, grabs a Halloween mask to try on. He and his brother spent a lot of time trying to find just the right one. Left, Katie Albert, 8, looks for a costume to go trick or treating in. She and her mother were shopping in
local store. Far left, a shopper tries on his Halloween face.
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Ichabod Crane's Comedy Night Thursday, October 29th
If you think you've got a sure-fire comedy act
(or you may think it's comedy!)
then call Ichabod's at 843-3468 for your booking. Deadline for bookings is Thursday afternoon at 5:00
(determined by the Principal, Asst. Principal and their staff of Ichabod's)
$50.00 1st Prize Awarded to the best act!!
And also cash prizes awarded to the best costume!
$1.00 cover will be charged for a night of Outrageous Ants!
of Outrageous Antics!
Incredible Improv.!
Fraudulent Flops!
(And, of course, $1.50 pitchers)
The Comedy starts promptly at 9:00, so come early and get good seats!
Please, No Tomatoes!