A man dressed in a Halloween costume came into a coffee shop and presumably went to work afterwards. This happened during the Friday morning rush at Ready Set! Coffee Roasters in Gordon Square. 

“We’ve seen him come in semi-frequently for the past month, usually between eight and eight-thirty, wearing business attire”, says part-time barista and full-time rock star Chris Allen, who first reported the costume-adorned man.

Baristas say the man typically gets an inconspicuous beverage such as an iced oatmilk latte or a cold brew. Last week, he ordered a fall seasonal drink with the comment “just to mix it up a little”, to which the barista working offered an inoffensive chuckle.

 The man has no history of wearing unusual clothing or costumes. Usually on Fridays, he will come in wearing a polo and levis and order a breakfast sandwich or pastry. It is presently unconfirmed whether this was a costume or not, but John Hwang, Cleveland State professor and author of the book From Monsters to Nixon: Halloween Costumes of the Modern Era, says it’s unlikely. 

“It’s possible he was dressed as a normal guy or something like that, but people usually don’t wear costumes outside of Halloween or special events. More likely than not, it’s just casual Friday.” This theory is supported by baristas, who have observed other regulars coming in on Fridays wearing non-professional attire, such as linen blend button downs or golf quarter-zips.

The man’s costume on this particular Friday morning was anything but the dress of a normal guy. Guests describe him as a regular symphony of horror, wearing a black, flowing cape, ghoulish makeup, and truly terrifying glow-in-the-dark fangs. He moved listlessly, with his arms straight down and his fingers grotesquely splayed. A sinister gale whipped the side of the building when he reached the bar.

Several customers reported a miasma of terror in the atmosphere at this moment. Allen remains unconvinced. “There was definitely a chill in the air. I think the AC just kicked on though.”

The man mumbled “I want an eshpwresho vish blood” in a faint Carpathian lilt, causing one frightened barista to leave the bar and wait in the kitchen. Such an item is not listed on the coffee shop’s regular or seasonal menu. After the third unsuccessful attempt at ordering in this fashion, he revealed that he had a pair of plastic fangs in.

According to Allen, the man then removed the fangs, set them on the counter, then nervously put them in his pocket before ordering his usual drink in his usual manner. He seemed to realize he was the only person in costume at this moment and looked down at his phone for the remaining duration of his visit before hastily leaving through the side door.

Allen and the other baristas still at the bar were perplexed by this ordering procedure, and a little peeved. “He left spittle on the counter. That’s a health hazard. We had to stop work during a busy morning to disinfect the surface.” Baristas remain unsure about the man’s costume and whether he put the fangs back in his mouth after putting them on the counter. 

Hwang believes the costume could have been Dracula, or even the Wurdulak, but eyewitness reports are inconclusive. Several claimed the man was dressed as Nosferatu, but Hwang dismissed it as ridiculous. “Nosferatu is the title of the film, the character is named Count Orlok. So he could have been Count Orlok. It’s like how Ratatouille is the name of the movie, not the name of the rat.” As to why patrons were confused, Hwang offered this: “Often, from sheer terror, people will unintentionally exaggerate descriptions of Halloween costumes. It’s very common to hear reports of a corrupt knight dressed in gold demanding candy and learn it’s only C-3PO. In this case, the costume remains vague enough to leave the vampire’s aesthetic inspiration a mystery.”

Security footage shows what might be a white shirt collar near the neck of the costume. This suggests he had business attire underneath the outfit and thus confirms he is wearing it to work. Hwang says the practice of wearing costumes at work is not uncommon, but certainly out of the ordinary.

Last year’s survey of leading Cleveland office habits by Crain’s found that most workers do not wear costumes to the office, with 92% of office workers dressing normally against 8% wearing a costume. This report does mention that 57% of workers wear a festive accessory, such as a pumpkin tie, mummy socks, or headwear such as devil horns. The costume wearing man remains unidentified. Allen says the man has come into the cafe enough times for baristas to recognize him but because of this, it is now awkward for them to re-ask his name. “I think it's Jim, or at least it starts with a J. James? J.J.?”, says Allen. “I usually just say, ‘hey, how's it going!’ when he comes in”. He expressed concern that Halloween landing on a Friday this year might prompt costume-wearing the entire weekend, but he is hopeful this man is an outlier.