'Breaking Bad' donates cast clothing to NM shelter

[February 27, 2013]  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- A Walt White robe. Baby Holly's pink hoodies. Sweaters worn by DEA agents trying to break up a drug smuggling ring.

These are among the items the AMC hit television series "Breaking Bad," a show about the methamphetamine wars in Albuquerque, donated to a city shelter in an effort to help the homeless -- and give fans a chance to own some TV history memorabilia.

New Mexico's largest emergency shelter said the surprise gift came last week when show dropped off boxes of clothing worn by cast members from past episodes.

"We got a call from someone from "Breaking Bad" saying, hey, 'we're dropping off some clothes,'" said Joy Junction CEO Jeremy Reynalds. "Then, here they were."

The donated men's and women's clothing will be sold at the shelter's thrift store beginning Wednesday, with proceeds will going toward the Albuquerque-based shelter.

Reynalds said he hasn't had time to comb through all the boxes to see what was available. But he did find a burgundy-colored robe worn by Bryan Cranston. Also in the boxes were a number of baby clothes worn by the baby of the show, Holly White.

But he didn't know if the boxes contained any hoodies worn by Aaron Paul or flashy shirts worn by the quietly deadly assassin brothers, Luis and Daniel Moncada.

"Fans love the show, so it's just great that we can give some of them a lasting memory and while so doing help Joy Junction as well," he said.

The thrift store will be open seven days a week at the shelter but will not be selling clothing online. However, Reynalds said the shelter may put clothes up on online auctions if they don't sell at the thrift store.

"Breaking Bad" follows chemistry teacher Walter White, played by Cranston, producing and selling methamphetamine with a former student, Jesse Pinkman, played by Paul. The series is made in Albuquerque and is currently shooting its final season.

Joy Junction currently is raising money for a new chapel, dormitory and women's center.

The thrift store in Albuquerque's South Valley isn't the only place fans of the show can purchase clothing from the popular show. The Candy Lady store in Albuquerque's Old Town sells replicas of the "Heisenberg" hat, the black pork pie hat worn by Cranston's character when he's conducting drug business under his alias Heisenberg. The candy store also sells "Breaking Bad" T-shirts and blue meth rock candy.

"All this 'Breaking Bad' is selling like crazy," said owner Debbie Ball, who sells item online. "The show has really grabbed fans who want anything related to it."

The Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau recently even created a website of the show's most popular places around town to help tourists navigate, and ABQ Trolley Company sold out all its "BaD" tours last year at $60 a ticket.

Ball also offers tours of famous Albuquerque scenes from the show in a limousine with a tour guide dressed as the character Walter White.

[Associated Press; By RUSSELL CONTRERAS]

Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras.

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