Mr. Fun's Costumes & Magic will usher in the Halloween season Saturday with their annual Halloween Extravaganza, featuring a candy-corn-scented fog machine, strobe lights, face-painting, balloon artists, and everybody in full-on costume.
CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio - Every day that Meralie Pocock comes to work at Mr. Fun's Costumes & Magic Emporium is a chance to dress up as someone new. It's a perk she relishes as co-owner of Ohio's largest family-owned and operated costume shop -- especially at Halloween.
On Wednesday, for example, Pocock was a pirate, from black leather hat to boots, with a matching eyepatch and a silver sword. Her jaunty crew included Manager Liz Elrod, dressed as a gypsy; Assistant Manager Victoria Stevens-Sommers, clothed as a witch; and Sales Associate Marcello Romeo, peeking out from a giant foam-rubber banana.
With more than 10,000 costumes for rent, another 5,000 costumes for purchase, and thousands of accessories including masks, wigs, hats, makeup, masquerade masks, fake weapons, hosiery and shoes, Mr. Fun's draws Halloween-lovers from throughout the Midwest.
With all the online options and pop-up shops that stay open only through Nov. 1, "I hope that customers will remember the independent costume shops who support their school's theatrical programs" and supply costumes for local community events, Meralie Pocock said.
The National Retail Federation predicts that more than 157 million Americans will celebrate Halloween this year, and that we will collectively spend $6.9 billion, or an average of $74.34 each.
That includes $2.5 billion, or an average of $27.33, on store-bought or homemade costumes like the kind sold at Mr. Fun's. An estimated 68 million Americans are planning to dress up this Halloween, and another 20 million of us will buy costumes for our pets (Pocock's dog is planning to rock a Darth Vader outfit).
"With a bit more confidence in their finances and still enjoying the perks of low gas prices, we expect those celebrating Halloween this year will look for several different activities to do with their family and friends," said Retail Federation President and Chief Executive Matthew Shay, in a statement. "Retailers of all shapes and sizes will welcome millions of shoppers with promotions on candy and decorations and of course, costumes."
More than 93 percent of us will splurge on candy, 45 percent will decorate our homes or yards, and 34 percent will buy greeting cards, with many of us starting our Halloween shopping this week, NRF said.
The International Council of Shopping Centers, meanwhile, says that 79 percent of the population plans to buy something for Halloween this year, up 5 percentage points from last year.
Ninety-nine percent of Halloween shoppers plan to buy their items in store, 36 percent plan to buy online, and 22 percent plan to buy online but pick up their items at the store.
Of the 99 percent who plan to buy their Halloween goods in-store, 34 percent said they like the convenience and speed of one-stop shopping, 34 percent said they like to see, touch or try on merchandise, and 32 percent said they don't want to pay for shipping, ICSC said.
The fact that Halloween falls on a Saturday this year means that people will be more willing to splurge on costumes for more than one party, Meralie Pocock said.
The Pococks will usher in the season on Saturday with their annual Halloween Extravaganza, featuring a candy-corn-scented fog machine, strobe lights, face-painting, balloon artists, and everybody in full-on costume.
Mr. Fun's staff nearly triples to 30 during the holidays, to handle the increased demand for costumes for babies, grownups, teenagers, and cats and dogs. The store also rents coffins, ghouls, tombstones and other seasonal decorations.
Pocock strides along the aisles to show what's available. "From cat ears and tails to gorilla hands, we have all of that stuff," she said. "Michael Jackson, Elvis, and Marilyn Monroe, gangsters and flappers, '80s and disco. Superheroes are going to be big, with the movie coming out. We have lots of Star Wars, from rebels to Lego Yoda. Wayne and Garth, Scooby Doo, the Addams Family.
"Flintstones costumes are just kind of fun and silly. They're fun for a group of people and not too risque," she said. "Cleopatra, Cinderalla, Belle. Frozen Elsa is probably going to be with us for a long time. Donald Trump: He already was pretty good costume material because of his hairstyle."
Pocock and her husband, Andy, are the second generation to run Mr. Fun's, located inside a spacious former roller-skating rink with a mirrored disco ball they converted into a showroom for their costumes, accessories and props. They took the reins of the 47-year-old business from his parents, Al "Mr. Fun" and Carol "Mrs. Fun" Pocock, who are supposedly retired, but still stop by the store to help. The Pococks are members of the National Costumers Association, a consortium of independently-run costume shops.
Although Halloween is its biggest and busiest holiday, with hundreds of new costumes and props arriving almost daily in the weeks leading up to Oct. 31, Mr. Fun's is open year-round for school plays, holiday programs, store promotions, and book reports. Her son once told her the night before that he had to dress up as Abraham Lincoln the next day.
From Baby New Year to Santa and Mrs. Claus, its outfits include leprechauns, presidents, Easter bunnies, licensed characters and Thanksgiving turkeys thrown in. The store provides elves and Santas for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's Polar Express to period costumes for Stan Hywet Hall & Garden's "Murder in the Mansion" costume party.
Pocock and her staff are obsessed with helping people find the perfect costume, often dashing between the fitting rooms and the store aisles to assemble and accessorize what the customer has in mind.
Mr. Fun specializes in finding costumes for hard-to-fit people, from one-of-a-kind outfits the Pococks have stitched together themselves to on-site alterations to ensure the perfect fit, no matter how small or full-figured the wearer is, Pocock said. She insists that people try on their costumes before leaving the store, because outfits always look better on people than on hangers, and retail Halloween costumes can't be returned.
"Those other companies, what they have is what they have," she said. "We want everyone to leave here happy, feeling good about themselves, and having fun."