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December 12, 2006
And then there were three: Boston Costume joins The Garment District family
We hadn’t made an official announcement yet – so the Boston Herald chose to do it for us (see article below). Yes, The Garment District has acquired Boston Costume. Starting January 2nd we will be moving the famous Kneeland Street store into 200 Broadway - adding a year round costume shop and rental business to our already diverse offerings. Terry, the store manager & many of the employees are coming over to ensure that you have experienced costume staff to help you find what you need.
So beginning on January 2nd the first floor will be transformed again. We’ve already started to redo our basement to store the thousands and thousands of costumes that are moving over. In the next few weeks you will see pieces of the transformation to fit Boston Costume into 200 Broadway.
We are not abandoning Boston forever, just for a little while. We plan on re-launching Boston Costume back in Boston in September 2007. Throughout the year I’ll keep everyone updated on this blog.
Come check us out in January and see what we’ve done.
-chris
All dressed up, new place to go: Boston Costume finds new fit in Cambridge
By Donna Goodison
Monday, December 11, 2006 - Updated: 04:28 PM EST
Boston Costume will be resurrected in Cambridge.
The owners of the Garment District, a large and funky Cambridge thrift shop that bills itself as an alternative department store, have bought the name, Web site and a huge amount of the inventory of the longtime Hub business.
Boston Costume has served trick-or-treaters and theater and TV productions since 1972. Founder David Bertolino is closing his Kneeland Street store on Dec. 31 because of skyrocketing rent.
“I’m thrilled there’s a future for Boston Costume,” Bertolino said. I built it up for 34 years, and it was kind of tragic to see it end, especially the way it was going to end. This is a great Christmas ending for us.”
Garment District President Chris Cassel plans to temporarily set up a Boston Costume shop by Jan. 2 in unused space at his three-story former factory at 200 Broadway St. in Cambridge. He hopes to find a new Boston location for Boston Costume by next fall. Cassel also is hiring Boston Costume’s manager and four other employees.
The inventory purchased includes Boston Costume’s vast selection of rental costumes and accessories, including props and displays for theatrical productions, and some retail costumes and other products, according to Bertolino.
Open since 1986, the Garment District sells new, used and vintage clothing and has operated its own Halloween and costume business for the last 10 years.
“What we don’t have is all of the rental costumes,” Cassel said. “We’re essentially keeping the entire Boston Costume collection of the rental costumes together. I gulped the first time I saw how big the inventory was.”
The new owners will contact Boston Costume customers who have rented costumes, including theatrical and educational groups from throughout New England, to inform them of the new location.
Boston Costume and the Garment District had been competitors.
“It’s sad when a place like Boston Costume goes out of Boston,” Cassel said. David has built a good thing. I think we can do a very good job at duplicating Boston Costume at 200 Broadway.”
Boston Costume is running a half-off sale of the remaining retail inventory until its Dec. 31 closing on Kneeland Street.
Posted by Christopher at 04:19 PM | Comments (0)
