Longtime owner of beloved Phoenix area costume shop selling business as she retires

PHOENIX - Over the years around Halloween, you may have seen our morning show do stories at a local costume shop called Fun Costumes.

Many in the Phoenix area have created awesome memories with the rental costumes, but on Nov. 29, we learned that the longtime owner is selling.

Just about every October, our Fox 10 viewers could count on Cory McCloskey dressing up at Fun Costumes.

A fashion show featuring some other costume options typically followed.

Owner Angie Ott fell in love with sewing when she took a home economics class in high school. So, owning the local shop in Mesa has been her dream job.

"When I had the chance to go into business, it was having fun and getting paid for what I like to do," Ott said.

But after owning the shop for about 15 years, she is walking away and looking forward to a relaxing retirement. As any small business owner knows, the work never stops.

"There's always something to do, always something that’s gotta be done, clean, repaired, and it’s usually on a timeframe. Gotta get ready for Halloween, Christmas, gotta do repairs, gotta get the Santa suits in order," Ott said.

There is already a prospective buyer and while Ott says retirement is bittersweet, she's ready.

"It’s sad to see this business go, and I love having all the customers over the years and I appreciate all of them stopping by," Ott said.

Ott will be done by the end of January because that’s when the lease is up.

The prospective buyer has asked her not to sell any more of the rental costumes because they want all the inventory.