Burnaby costume house to close, hosting final sale this month

Sep 14 2021, 4:35 pm

Vancouver’s small business community has faced an uphill battle during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some local business owners continue to feel the impacts of this challenging climate. 

The most recent vintage clothing destination to announce its closure is Sunday’s Best Costume House, which is expected to shutter its Greenwood Street location in Burnaby at the end of September.

Co-owners Vanessa Hill and Annie Garnett, who have almost two decades of experience as costumers in film between them, launched the store in 2018 to expand the rental stock of high-quality vintage pieces for the industry in the Lower Mainland. 

Since then, the boutique costume house has become known for its carefully curated stock, with pieces ranging from the 1940s to the 1950s and 1960s, in addition to garments, footwear, and accessories from the 1990s and current day.

Speaking to Daily Hive about the decision to close the store, Hill says, “It was a really hard decision, but throughout COVID we did everything we could to stay afloat, and with the effects of COVID still lingering, it’s become harder and harder to maintain our business.”

Many of the pieces stocked at Sunday’s Best Costume House are otherwise hard to find locally, Hill tells us. “We’ve developed quite a special collection. It is sad to see it go, and we just hope that we can find homes for everything we have.”

From now through Thursday, September 23, the costume house is hosting a closing sale. Visitors can expect to find select shoes, tops, and blouses for $20, sweaters for $25, day dresses for $50, pants for $45, suits for $60, and cocktail dresses for $60.

The aforementioned prices, Hill says, are “a really rough estimate.” There are also purses, hats, and jewellery for sale. In terms of payment options, Visa and Mastercard are accepted in-store.

When asked what she has enjoyed most about running her store, Hill says, “I like to believe every piece of clothing has a story to tell, so imagining where it came from and the life each piece of clothing lived always brings a smile to my face. In turn, watching the clothing end up on TV shows and [in] movies brings a lot of pride.”

Looking to the future, she says, “I’m not sure what the next few months have in store for us. This is all kind of a sudden decision for us, so I’m not sure where it will lead.”

Hill suggests “thinking differently before venturing to the big stores” while local shops still need the support. “I think a lot of people don’t realize that COVID is still affecting small local businesses. We’re not out of the woods just yet, and I think if things don’t change, we’re going to continue losing the small shops.”

She adds, “Continuing to support local is really important right now.”

Sunday’s Best Costume House Sale

When: Now through September 23
Time: 10 am to 4 pm, Monday to Thursday
Where: Sunday’s Best Costume House – 107 – 6994 Greenwood Street, Burnaby

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