This beloved Valley costume shop may be closing its doors, but its legacy lives on
Mesa-based Fun Costumes has kept Valley residents festive, fun and frightful for decades. Now, it's time for owner Angie Ott to pass the torch. Mesa-based Fun Costumes, a beloved costume shop, is closing its doors due to owner Angie Ott's retirement. Ott started the business in 1993 and has since expanded into making clothes and costumes for 30 years. Despite the store's closure, several of her family members have invested in buying up her remaining stock and starting businesses of their own. A 75% off sale for every item in the store is being offered. Additionally, one of Angie's cousins will set up a new store called JLC Costumes.
Publicerad : en månad sedan förbi Author: John Tanet i Entertainment
Mesa-based Fun Costumes has kept Valley residents festive, fun and frightful for decades. Now, it's time for owner Angie Ott to pass the torch.
MESA, Ariz. — Halloween isn't the only time that people need costumes. Lords and ladies take to the Renaissance Festival. Schoolkids pick up exuberant projects. Theater companies come from all around to stock their shows. For 30 years, Angie Ott has made sure that everyone has the festive fashion they need.
"It's been a long road. It's been a fun one. But it's just a lot of work for one person to do!" Angie said, bouncing one of her seven grandchildren on her lap. "I wanted to pass it along to someone who would have fun with it and let it grow."
When Angie started back in 1993, the store was a little gift shop called Fun City and it wasn't even hers. Then one day she walked in with years of sewing experience under her belt.
Over the next 15 years, their business pivoted more and more into making clothes and costumes. When the owner decided she was ready to retire, Angie bought the venue from her.
"I'm going to move to Oklahoma. Got some land and houses out there and gonna actually live the country life and just relax," she joked. "I am still going to sew, but it's going to be for fun."
Even if Fun Costumes is closing its doors, this isn't the end of the store's legacy. Several of Angie's family members have pitched in to buy up her remaining stock and start businesses of their own.
"I feel like there needs to be younger blood, fresh blood brought into it and see things for what they are now," she said. "I'm excited to see what will become of it."
And good news for the costumed crusaders of the Valley: one of Angie's cousins will be setting up shop in the same location. The new store will be called JLC Costumes. Right now there's no set opening date.
If you want to pitch in to help, Angie is holding a 75% off sale Friday and Saturday for every single item in the store. For those of you who have rented costumes from Angie for years, this is your chance to finally take that special set home for good!
"I love it, and I've loved it all these 30-plus years. I loved all my customers. I love doing the costumes. I want this next step for my cousins to continue this and I also want people in Mesa, Phoenix, Casa Grande, Tucson, to know that we're still here and we're gonna be here for them," Ott said.