Walking through the store, people can see isles lined with all kinds of costumes and accessories while themed music plays overhead. The costumes span all genres and categories, including adult and children’s costumes, as well as masks, fake boas and hats. 

Central Party and Costume, located on Fourth Street, has been selling and renting out party supplies and costumes since 2004. They rent out anything from tables and chairs to chocolate fountains, Santa suits and fog machines. They offer party supplies for weddings, graduations, themed parties and more.

“The most popular categories for college crowd are group costumes, such as Batman and Robin, and career related costumes, such as law enforcement, firefighters and nurses,” Owner Eva Frink said.

Frink and her late husband, who died in December of this year, got married in Hawaii. When they went to plan a reception and they had difficulty finding a space that offered quality party rentals. 

Frink had to buy all the supplies, such as chairs, tables, a tent and tableware, on her own. Frink started the business after a neighbor had asked where she got all the supplies.

“I told her that I bought it. She asked if she could borrow it,” Frink said. “And she said that she would pay me. [The] business idea came into my head.”

The business started as a rental shop. The first store was a consignment shop located in Pine Street Mall over on Pine Street. For two years, Frink met customers at this location through consultations and rented out party supplies. 

Frink had a display for her party rentals in the window, and this is when she began decorating for some of the clients who rented from her.

The business then turned into a party sale and rental place. Frink had the second store for about four years before she moved. Central Kyokushin Karate dojo resides in the location now.

The third location was an old liquor store located over on Seventh and Main Street, where she maintained business for about seven to eight years. While they had this location, they leased the space they have over on Fourth.

“I leased it just so I would have a separate Halloween space,” Frink said. 

Frink said she used the space as a venue that people could rent out, the space next to the current location used to be a café that was attached to the shop. They also used to lease the old Hollywood video place, which was a bigger space.

“We went all out [for Halloween] in those years,” Frink said. 

A normal day for Frink consists of meeting with customers, making deliveries and giving out consultations. 

The craziest thing that has happened to Frink is when she was delivering party supplies to the upper county, an elk got into the trailer. He walked up the ramp and just looked around.

“We could’ve shut the door and took him with us, but we didn’t,” Frink said.