In the bustling nucleus of downtown Manhattan, Abracadabra’s large window display of decorated mannequins barely covers the massive spectacle of costumes, clothing, and animatronics just beyond the front doors. But did you know the store itself has a well-established presence in TV, movies, and press? Whether you’ve visited us in person or not, you may recognize our distinctive purple carpets and towering grids filled with colorful accessories from various on-screen appearances. Here are a few notable examples…
Movies
Terrifier 2
Perhaps the best-known instance of Abracadabra NYC on camera, Terrifier 2 was released in theaters on August 29th, 2022, and the return of Art The Clown made a seriously sickening impression on audiences. This highly anticipated sequel had body horror fans rejoicing (and regurgitating), and at one point, features Abracadabra NYC as the scene of the crime. And yes, you can buy Art’s flowery sunglasses when you visit.
Television
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Netflix’s critically acclaimed sitcom series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ended its run in 2020, but those who were binging it from the beginning might remember seeing us in the very second episode of the show. In “Kimmy Gets A Job!”, Titus (Titus Burgess) attempts to return a rental to Ray Ray’s Costume Depot, a disreputable shop known for scamming street performers and “having sex with the costumes at night”. We here at Abracadabra do not actually do either of these things. We swear.
Law & Order: SVU
Before Terrifier 2, Abracadabra had yet another turn as a crime scene… as The Grey Rabbit Magic Shop in Law and Order SVU. In the episode “Facing Demons”, Fin (Ice-T) and Sonny (Peter Scanavino) confront the store’s skittish manager about a murder victim who had a penchant for magic. We want to stress once again, it’s totally safe to visit us in real life.
Saturday Night Live
That’s right! If you watch Saturday Night Live, you’ve likely already seen a ton of our costumes and props in action. Broadcast from NBC’s headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, SNL is just a twenty minute subway ride from Abracadabra, so we frequently provide accessories for their talented wardrobe department. But Chloe Fineman’s Scarlet Witch costume? That one was handmade by our incredible team of seamstresses!
The Real Housewives Of New Jersey
Anybody peep our sexy costume section in season six of The Real Housewives Of New Jersey? Things quickly went south at Nicole’s First Responders Party in “A Hairy Situation”, but before the drink throwing and hair pulling went down, Melissa and Teresa stopped by our store to pick out some steamy firefighter outfits.
Books
Walking Manhattan Sideways
Adapted from her website Manhattan Sideways, Betsy Bober Polivy’s Walking Manhattan Sideways is a love letter to small businesses located on the side streets of New York City. Abracadabra is featured in the book, as well as on the site. We’re definitely feeling the love!
Vogue
Spanish pop star Rosalía graced the January 2021 cover of Vogue, right after gracing Abracadabra with her presence! The article follows a day in the life of Rosalía, including her hunt for a Leeloo costume for Halloween. Her consultation with Tony, our resident wig expert, is also documented as part of the shopping excursion. We’re beyond honored, but also, when’s Tony’s Vogue cover coming out?
Press
ABC News
In 2015, Sara Haines and William Ganss of ABC News took an extensive tour of Abracadabra in search of the perfect Halloween costume. They tried on various accessories, got up close and personal with props, and received the inside scoop from our team on what makes for an unbeatable ensemble!
National Costumers Association
You know it’s legit when you’re NCA-approved! Established in 1923, the National Costumers Association is a professional organization dedicated to “promoting the artistic, historical, educational, and social nature of costuming, and encouraging ethical business standards”, and hosts a semi-annual convention held in different U.S. cities every two years. They also recently gave us a lovely write up!
And Finally, Celeb Sightings!
Countless celebrities have paid a visit to our store over the years, and they rarely leave empty handed. Just ask Elon Musk, Trevor Noah, The Real Housewives Of New York… and of course, our beloved Drew Barrymore!
Feeling inspired? You can get these costumes for your very own, right here on our site!