The Buff, one of Pacific Beach’s longtime Halloween and vintage clothing stores, is making a comeback after nearly a year without a home.
Now nestled in its new place at 1341 Garnet Ave. just up the street from their former location, the store officially reopened their doors to their loyal customers about six weeks ago, owner Kathie said.
Kathie, who goes by her first name only, manager Karen Yoo and most of the “dream team” Buffettes ushered in the Halloween season with a grand reopening celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 3.
Kathie said the warm welcoming into a new part of the neighborhood and the return of regular customers make muddling through the interior reconstruction of the store worth the work.
“It’s good to be back,” she said.
Kathie had to close down for a while when the lease on the former location on the 1000 block of Garnet Avenue ended last November. With the Buffettes displaced and employed part-time elsewhere, Kathie set to task looking for “just the right place.”
About nine moths later, after careful consideration, Kathie and the team found the perfect spot and The Buff was reopened, she said.
“We’re still settling in and we’ll be full-tilt boogie this Halloween,” she said.
And full-tilt boogie it was at Wednesday’s grand reopening, complete with complementary mimosas for anyone who supplied ID at the door. Synthetic ’60s-style wigs gave personality to the faceless foam heads that bore them.
Anyone with an affinity for the circle-framed beatnik glasses had their pick: red lenses or blue.
The well-cultivated, lounge-like atmosphere is nothing new for fellow Buffettes, assistant manager Nikki Alvarez said.
The relaxed, familiarity of it all is part of what makes the Buff unique, Alvarez said.
“We’re more of a family than a place to work,” she said.
The friendly atmosphere caters to the creative impulses of those looking either to don a Buff original costume or freshen up their wardrobe with vintage pieces, said airbrush artist Hydred Makabali.
Makabali, who has worked as The Buff’s resident make-up artist for about five years, said she likes seeing the delight in her customers’ faces after she airbrushes some leopardskin on them.
“There’s a lot of creative freedom here with the costumes,” she said.
From fake mustaches to Alice in Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts to leopardskin airbrush, customers never fail to surprise Makabali with personal requests, she said.
As Halloween wraps up, The Buff will emphasize vintage clothing, which comes from a variety of sources including big-name companies as well as local vendors, Kathie said. Although business is a little slower during the off-season, the steady stream of vintage aficionados holds them over until the next year, Kathie said.
She said she is grateful to the Pacific Beach residents and business community that has allowed The Buff to thrive.
After 16 years, The Buff seems to have accomplished on its own what so many businesses try to do: carve a niche for itself not only in the local retail market but in the hearts of the community members as well.