The owners of Easley's Fun Shop have announced some major news, and it's definitely going to be a bummer to their customers and fans.
Run by the Easley family since the 1940s, the beloved costume shop will shut its doors by the end of 2018.
A post to the store's Facebook page on Friday, April 6, announced the closing, which will take place after one final Halloween season.
“After 72 years of being a family business, we have decided to just be a family. This will be our last Halloween,” the post reads. “Thank you for all your love and support over the years. We have loved being part of your lives.”
General manager Debbie Easley echoed the bittersweet statement when discussing why her family is closing the legendary store, located in an iconic two-story yellow building on McDowell Road and Fifth Avenue.
“It was just time,” she says. “We've been a family business and had this property a long, long time – more than 70 years now – but so much has changed. We've had a lot of great memories here, but before it's too late, it'd be nice to just be a family. We feel like it's the right thing to do.”
Multiple factors were involved in their decision, Debbie says, including competition from online retailers. The more important issue, she says, is that her parents, owners Herb and Carol Easley, are getting on in age.