MONROVIA, Ind. — In the days leading up to Halloween, a special pop-up shop will open in Bloomington, letting kids borrow Halloween costumes for free.
The idea came from a couple so passionate about helping others, they sold some of their own furniture and household possessions, to buy the hundreds of costumes for kids.
At American Rental in Bloomington, the furniture showroom has some new inventory in the dining section: a seasonal special, approved by the boss, President David P. David.
"We just moved it all out and made room for the costumes," David said. "They asked me if they could do it, and I said, 'Whatever we can do to help!'"
Shane and LeAnn Tanenbaum, David's employees, created the pop-up costume shop. The couple knows what it's like to struggle but also knows the power of giving back.
"It's a lovingly built pop-up shop to make the best trick-or-treat experience any kid can imagine," LeAnn explained. "We are just two broken, broke kids that decided they wanted to make a difference."
At a time when many are living paycheck to paycheck, "Halloween Re-Imagined" has 500 costumes, plus wigs, makeup and accessories that families can borrow for free.
They can pick out a costume, wear it for trick-or-treat, then return it to the store, where the Tanenbaums will mend, clean and get the costumes ready for next year.
Some of the outfits were donated, but Shane purchased most of them out-of-pocket.
They have just about anything a kid would want for the holiday.
"Everything from babies to teens," LeAnn explained. "We have Minnie Mouses, pirates, little — sharks? Like a baby shark? Captain America, We have Master Chief Halo."
And that's not it.
"We have some phenomenal capes from Harry Potter," Shane added, working his way through the rows of costumes. "Operation, plus little stickers, little bones they can wear. And my absolute favorite — a baby gnome."
This holiday project is personal for the Tanenbaums, inspired by a difficult Halloween from Shane's childhood, at a time when his family couldn't afford a costume.
"I didn't actually have anything to wear that day, so I found a Coca-Cola sweatshirt in the back of my mom's closet," Shane said.
"He went out trick-or-treating," LeAnn continued, "and when he knocked on the door and said 'trick-or-treat,' the lady kind of curled her nose up at him and said 'what are you supposed to be?'"
"And as happy as I could be — 'I'm a Coca-Cola delivery driver!'" Shane recalled.
"And she said 'hmmm.. that's not a very good costume' and she shut the door in his face," LeAnn said.
"As I walked away from that home with tears in my eyes, I said when I get older, every kid is gonna have a Halloween costume," Shane said.
A little boy's pledge coming true, right inside the furniture store in Bloomington.
The couple is making sure holiday magic happens for kids, regardless of family income.
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"You know, Halloween costumes may not be saving lives, but I do believe they are changing lives," LeAnn said. "It's the time when we get to inhabit our heroes. We get to be princesses. And it's magical for parents, too, because we get to give our children their dreams. So this is something small we can do to give these kids, these families, a night where they don't have to worry about anything. They can just live the sparkle, live the dream and have a good time!"
Halloween Reimagined will be open from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 28-31 at the store, 1416 Liberty Drive in Bloomington.
They're taking costume donations too, if you would like to help the cause. Drop off a gently used or new costume at any American Rental store, and they'll get it to the Bloomington location for the pop-up shop next weekend.