French born Gigi Lemue, owner of Reno’s Been There Bought That, is the area’s grand dame of used, vintage and costume wear.  A theatrical costume designer by trade, Lemue has 23 years of direct dealer-to-dealer experience, earning her a loyal following for her rare and collector apparel. 

“I want folks to be happy with what they purchase here, because shopping is a lotta work,” declared Lemue.  The only shop in town with authentic vintage men’s and women’s clothing, Been There Bought That is Reno’s vintage costume headquarters for the party season.   I recently visited the subterranean boutique, located inside one of the few historic buildings left in downtown Reno, for a peek at their clothing.  I picked up a sweet rabbit fur trimmed leather vest, and a ¾-length sleeveless black leather duster that‘s ridic.  The hand-painted denim vest with white wool lining I nabbed was detailed with studs and looked like it was straight out of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. 

Themed costumes are big sellers at Been There Done That.  Lemue’s couples costumes include Viking outfits, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf and hundreds more.  Additionally, the shop has costumes from the 20’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  Lemue just purchased the entire wardrobe inventory of an Oregon based theatrical company and literally has tons of cool costumes for Halloween. 

The prepackaged outfits one can find all over town this time of year, just don’t have the craftsmanship to warrant their high price tags. To help shoppers on a budget, Lemue is offering significant discounts on couples costumes, with 2 for 1 deals and accessories bundled right in.

Been There Bought That is open 7 days a week from 10am-6pm.  The shop is located downstairs inside of Antiques & Treasures in downtown Reno. 151 North Sierra Street.  775-327-4131.

Oliver X