New costume and joke shop is a scream for Halloween
The last week of October is typically a highly anticipated one, for children and adults alike. And with only a week before the ghouls and ghosts come out to play, things are shaping up well for Jokes R Wild, which their new location just north of Rehoboth Beach having opened earlier this fall. Customers can find everything at Jokes R Wild for their Halloween plans, from costumes and makeup to accessories.
Coastal Point • Ryan Saxton Owner Eileen Wilson stands before an assortment of masks at her store, Jokes R Wild, which opened last month. The shop has become a local hotspot with the Halloween season quickly approaching.
“This is a great area to be in,” said owner Eileen Wilson, who married into the business and now can’t seem to get enough. “We’ve been coming to the beaches for years, and after talking to people, we found that they were really looking for a store like this down here.”
The New Castle-based joke store got its start nine years ago, but it’s developing into a state-wide staple, now offering tricks and treats in three locations in Delaware. Wilson’s husband, Bill, and his father started the business with a small booth at the New Castle Farmer’s Market, selling tricks and gags ranging from stink bombs to whoopie cushions. With a growing success in the northern region of the state, they expanded into Glasgow before setting their sights on the rapidly developing southern region.
“We were pulling in customers from Maryland and Pennsylvania,” said Eileen Wilson. “We started carrying costumes, and business really spread from there.”
Their newest location, beside Movies at Midway in the Midway Shopping Center, has created a buzz with tourists and travelers in the months since its debut. The seasonal shop has had kids and adults trying on costumes portraying their favorite super heroes, television and movie stars.
Hannah Montana and “High School Musical” characters have been a hit with young girls, Wilson said, while characters from the Batman series and even the Pirates of the Caribbean are emptying off the shelves for the male costume-seekers. Masks of the Burger King, presidential candidates and the Dark Knight’s Joker have been a particular hit this year, although Wilson said there hasn’t been one single stand-out costume.
“Everyone who comes in finds something they like,” she said. “Even the classics are being bought, like Mike Meyers and Freddie Kruger. We like to carry a variety of things for everyone.”
Plenty of makeup and accessories are available for those who wish to put their own creativity and flavor into their costume this year, too. The company has even placed special orders for theaters throughout the state for professional makeup.
“A lot of people come in because they’ll find costumes and wigs for cheaper prices than most other places they go,” noted Wilson.
“It’s fun,” she added. “Halloween is one of my favorite holidays now, but we don’t get to enjoy it as much as we want.”
For the last-minute costume shopper, the store is not only open on Oct. 31 but will typically see its busiest day of the year next Friday, on All Hallows Eve itself.
“A lot of people wait until the last minute,” Wilson acknowledged, “but it’s great for us.”
While the New Castle location of Jokes R Wild will stay open year-round, the doors will close in Glasgow and Midway shortly after the end of October.
“We’ve had a lot of people ask us if we’ll be open year-round,” she said, “and we’ve been thinking about it. If business does well, it might be something to look into next year.”
The Midway location will hold a sale the Sunday after Halloween, Nov. 2, with markdowns store-wide. Santa suits and Easter Bunny costume rentals keep the couple on their toes the rest of the year, as do the sales of their popular gags and jokes.
Those who haven’t yet found the perfect costume or accessory for Halloween 2008 can stop in at Jokes R Wild, located in the Midway Shopping Center on Route 1. They are open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. For more information, call (302) 645-5554.
