We in the costuming business live in a world filled with imagination, even if it’s a business for most of us. But sometimes reality bursts in, and that happened to an NCA member.
The owner of Gene’s Costumes, a popular costume shop in Maryland, was going about her normal routine on 2 January, when she heard her smoke alarm go off. She didn’t see anything unusual until she opened the door to the basement and was hit with smoke. An electrical fire destroyed her basement and seriously damaged 30 years’ worth of accumulated costumes.
Fortunately nobody was injured, but the fire caused about $100,000 in damage to the building, and unknown damage to the costumes. The worst part, the owner reported, was that her electrical and gas power were turned off, so she can’t even begin cleaning up.
So much for living in an imaginary world.
To read the full column in the latest issue of Progressive Party Europe, simply click here.
