For more than 75 years, Fleishman Fabrics & Supplies has loomed over the Fifth Street intersection where Passyunk Avenue vanishes into the tumult of South Street, selling fabric, trimmings, dry cleaning and tailoring supplies. All summer along, a wheeled rack has perched on the sidewalk in front of the store, as bright and incongruous as a bird-of-paradise in the concrete jungle. I paused to rummage the rainbow the other day and was delighted to discover it was full of dance costumes. As I surveyed the selection, Tricia Fleishman, who owns the business with her husband, Stanley, approached. "If you have time, I have a thousand more costumes on the third floor." Say what? How many? After climbing three flights of stairs through Fleishman's vertical fabric warehouse, Tricia led me to a series of jerry-rigged racks stuffed with enough spangled tulle and bedazzled Lycra to outfit an army of Rockettes.
"We acquired about 10,000 costumes when we purchased the fabric inventory of a dance and costume manufacturer," says Fleishman. "It threw us into the costume business unexpectedly, but happily so." The Fleishmans have spent the summer organizing and hanging the bright bounty, which is mostly girls', teens' and women's wear, with a few lonely boys' and mens' items thrown in. Leotards shining with sequins, a fully decked-out Vegas Elvis suit, tutus of all colors, harem pants and fringed rompers — it was enough to make this former performer dance with glee. Prices start at $5 per piece, with discounts for those (like me) who purchase in multiples. My best friend and I walked out with 22 pieces, some destined for Halloween parties, others to start the best dress-up box ever for my 3-year-old cousin. The Fleishmans welcome dance companies, as well as anyone with a yen for sparkles, to peruse the racks for Halloween and beyond.
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