Inside The A.C.T. Costume Shop, A Dress-Up Treasure Trove

Inside The A.C.T. Costume Shop, A Dress-Up Treasure TrovePhotos: Brittany Hopkins/Hoodline 
Brittany Hopkins
Published on April 18, 2016

It's no secret that San Franciscans love their costume parties. And they'll go to great lengths to stand out in a crowd.

But if you don't have the time, energy or skills to build a show-stopping costume yourself, the A.C.T. Costume Shop on Market Street is here to help.


For more than 30 years, the American Conservatory Theater has been outfitting residents with looks straight from the stage. The shop's supervisor, Callie Floor, says the costume shop grew out of the aftermath of the 1989 earthquake. The company's Geary Theater was severely damaged, leaving the company homeless and financially strained. Given that people were always interested in getting their hands on A.C.T.'s costumes, they ultimately decided to launch a public shop as a new revenue stream.

The shop was originally located in Mission Bay, but moved to Market once redevelopment of that area began. Floor, a Salt Lake City native, took over the shop around 1992. She and her team have been designing and building looks for A.C.T. shows and nonprofit theater companies and outfitting community members with their massive inventory ever since.

A scene starring A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts graduates Marisa Duchowny (left) and Jessica Kitchens with Julia Coffey. (Photo: Kevin Berne/ACT)

If you're not sure whether the A.C.T. Costume Shop has what you're looking for, consider the fact that their basement boasts 20,000 costumes. The depth and breadth is largely due to the fact that A.C.T. didn't purge a single piece in its first 20-30 years, Floor said. It's the place to find authentic period pieces—whether you're in the market for fashions from medieval times, the past few decades or far-flung regions.

Floor with a 17th century jacket worn in Tartuffethe first play A.C.T. staged in 1965.

The collection also offers plenty of surprises, like Simpsons costumes from last year's run of Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play.  

Photo: John Ulman/ACT

Renting from the A.C.T. Costume Shop costs $175 flat, which includes a fitted look with accessories from head to toe. While clients try on pieces in the shop's ground-floor fitting room, Floor and team race down to the basement and back, scouring the collection for the perfect touches.

"We want people to look good," Floor said of the care they put into assembling each outfit. And the more care they take, the better their clients care for the pieces during their week-long rental, she said.

Fittings can be booked up to two months in advance of a rental, and the costume will be held for pick-up later. While booking a fitting, Floor says she'll chat with individuals about the costume they're looking for and the type of event they're attending.

An early 1900s dress recently altered for a San Francisco fire fighter to wear during this morning's commemoration of the 1906 earthquake and fire.

If you don't know what you're looking for, don't expect Floor to let you explore the basement yourself. Narrowing down a theme before a client arrives is key to getting people in and out with the costume of their dreams. "I could pull for days," she said, while rummaging through the basement, which accounts for the majority of their 10,000-square-foot facility.

Absolutely no walk-ins are accepted; a fact that Yelp hasn't gotten across to its users, Floor says. However, they do their best to accommodate last-minute fittings when urgent calls come in.

As for her favorite costume hanging in the sea of 20,000, Floor says she doesn't have one. Costumes take people to inhabit them. What she loves is the moment a costume takes on a new life and the individual inside is transformed into character.

To make an appointment with the A.C.T. Costume Shop, call (415) 439-2379. Although it isn't a comprehensive resource, clients can also peruse the shop's online photo gallery.

The shop, where Floor and team build costumes for shows like this May's Rocky Horror Picture Show, and assemble looks for clients.

The fitting room, stocked with recently perused costumes.

Inside the shop's basement, which houses most of the 20,000 costume inventory.

Aisles of clothing.

A rack of garments.

Fat suits.

Shoes.

Ethnic hats.

Armor.