A Brief History

In 1923, Dave Miller opened the Dave Miller Costume Shop in Downtown Milwaukee. It was the days of vaudeville performances, and Miller often said he started with “one sewing machine and two bolts of fabric.” The business moved around Milwaukee throughout the years, and in 1977, Paul Armstrong bought the shop, renaming it Miller-Armstrong Costume Service. The current owner, Suzann Campbell, started working there part-time in 1979, and eventually bought it in 1995. This year, the shop, now called Miller and Campbell Costume Service (907 S. First St.), turned 100 years old.

6-12 employees

employees depending on the season.
(Plus, Campbell’s “assistant,” Kiera the dog)     

Costume Queen 👑

Campbell has been sewing since she was a kid. Her mother had a theater group, and Campbell helped create costumes for the productions. She still loves sewing and costumes, and also enjoys finding vintage pieces to add to her collection. “What I find fascinating is the history,” she says. “I wish the clothes could talk.”

Not to Be Dramatic, But…

MAC has costumes for nearly every popular musical or play you can imagine. And if someone needs costumes Campbell doesn’t have, she and her team put different items together to make them – and in some cases, craft new pieces in-house. Costumes are often rented for high school, university, community and sometimes even professional theater. 

55,000 costumes 

in stock, including 500 tuxedos and around 300 band uniforms

Oldest costume?

Men’s pants from 1872. Campbell says they’re likely left from the Miller days of the business.

Newest costume? 

MAC is currently creating costumes for White Christmas, the musical based on the 1954 film of the same name, which has recently regained popularity, Campbell says.

Theatrics Aside 

Beyond theater costumes, MAC also creates custom pieces and mascots, rents out holiday costumes – let’s just say there are rows of jolly red pants and coats – and sells vintage clothes in their first-floor store and online. maccostumes.com

32,000

square footage of MAC’s building

Classics Are Back!

Campbell says classic costumes – like pirates, vampires, cowboys and clowns – are coming back this Halloween, and Miller and Campbell has created makeup kits for the old favorites. “We’ve put a creative spin on them, such as a Twilight vampire … creepy scary clowns, zombie Snow White,” she says. 

Stock Up For Halloween

On Oct. 14, just in time for Halloween, MAC is hosting its annual sale, which will have lots of costumes and vintage clothes at discounted prices. Check MAC’s Facebook for updates.

All images by Getty Images