Features Costumes in Tampa has been a popular store for anything related to Halloween or Gasparilla.
Features, locally-owned and opened since April 1987, is closing its doors. The owners are retiring.
"We actually got started with tutu’s and greeting cards," said J.B. Mason, the store's general manager.
Twenty-seven years later, the store is four buildings and houses more than 40,000 costumes.
"It grew to beads, costumes, high-end costumes, movie-quality costumes, stage costumes, all types of accessories, and then it went to makeup on top of that," Mason said.
Customers say the entire experience and variety of merchandise kept them coming back.
Sylvia Maider has shopped at Features every year for almost 10 years for her annual Halloween party.
"The theme this year is celebrity zombies, the red-carpet affair ... glamor and gore," Maider said.
Where else can you shop for body parts?
"Of course, being zombies, we have to have a zombie buffet," she said.
Mason said his aunt and uncle who own the store are ready to retire.
“It’s bittersweet, I would have to say, because I’ve been here ever since I got out of college, and even before that, I was helping in high school, middle school,” Mason said. “So I’ve been around this place since I was real little and it’s a hard thing to swallow.”
"It’s sad it’s an era come to an end," said Maider.
It's bittersweet for a family that’s made a business out helping people transform into something or someone else.
"We’ve seen people grow up, kids from 3 years old coming in here, still, when they’re 25, and you remember people l like that," Mason said.
The store is holding a huge sale and is set to close the end of December.