Halloween for adults too! : Foster Costumes, part 2

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_ M 'V-X'^je <U^*r* Halloween for adults too! By HARRY MULHALL Staff Reporter Halloween. Tonight's the night when goblins and their ghoul friends are either prowling or partying. , The younger ones go on the trick-or-treat street prowl. Many of the bigger ones are at dress-up parties. Which is where Don Foster comes in. For the city councillor who runs what he believes is probably the biggest costume-rental business between Toronto and Montreal, Halloween is the busiest season of the year. And this year, demand for costumes is the heaviest yet, says Foster. "They come from all over the region," he says as he helps another customer select an outfit in the costume barn behind the Foster Emily St. home. "We've had them here from Kingston and Bancroft." There's plenty to choose from. Foster figures his entire outfitting runs to 5,000 costumes-not counting false faces and masks. The giant-size wardrobe was assembled over the years from various sources. A number have been made by his wife, Rita, who also keeps the costumes refurbished. But, Foster says, this could also be his last year in business. The rental chore has become a heavy task. And he has had to spare his energy recently because of the back trouble which, some years ago, forced him to retire early as a railroader, he says. They may offer the business for sale, he conjectures. "We don't know yet. But's it's too much work now." But, if it's sold, he hopes the business will go to a local buyer so the costumes stay in the Belleville area. What's the value of his collection? "I wouldn't know," claims Foster. "With 25 years of collecting and making you couldn't put a price on it."

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