Christophe Waggoner has what he calls a “shopping problem.” Not for himself, though. All year long, he scours Texas thrift stores for children’s Halloween costumes.

“I’m looking for anything shiny, sparkly or furry,” he said. “I’m always keeping an eye out.”

For the past nine years, Waggoner has collected thousands of Halloween costumes, and every fall, he hosts an event in Austin where children - plus adults and dogs - can pick out Halloween costumes for free.

“Seeing the kids there, that’s amazing,” Waggoner said. “That’s the whole point.”

Waggoner doesn’t just collect the costumes. He washes, repairs and sometimes redesigns the garments, figuring out ways to make them feel brand-new.

“I get them, I’ll wash them, if they need to be restitched, I’ll do that, and sometimes I’ll just c

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