CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — For more than half a century, it’s been a place where make-believe met Main Street, where curiosity, costumes and community all lived under one roof. But this Halloween marks the final act for Mr. Fun's Costumes and Curiosity in Cuyahoga Falls.
“We’ve been creating fun for years. Since 1968 when it all began,” said owner Meralie Pocock.
For generations, the shop has been a local landmark, where you could find everything from stage makeup and magic tricks to the perfect disguise for any season.
Pocock married into the family business 30 years ago and says they’ve seen it all.
“We have endured everything from natural disasters… global pandemics… staffing shortages,” she said.
But after this holiday season, Mr. Fun will be done—at least when it comes to its physical storefront.
“There are a lot of people who are sad,” Pocock said. “But I just want to reassure them… we’re not going away. We’re just evolving.”
The family plans to move operations online and continue selling through trade shows. A decision, Pocock said, wasn’t made lightly, but became necessary as costs rose and sales softened.
The biggest challenge came from something out of their control: tariffs.
“Tariffs, they are hurting small, they are hurting all businesses,” Pocock said. “But small businesses really feel the effect because we don’t have big corporations backing us.”
With their lease coming to an end, the family decided it was time to make the leap.
When asked how this Halloween compares to years past, Pocock didn’t hesitate.
“It’s definitely been a softer Halloween because people don’t have as much money in their pockets,” she said.
Mr. Funs joins a growing list of small retailers forced to pivot as online giants like Amazon dominate e-commerce. Even national chains such as Party City struggled to compete, closing hundreds of stores in 2024.
But Pocock says the spirit of Mr. Funs isn’t fading; it’s simply taking on a new form.
And for the customers who have spent decades stepping inside this little world of wonder, that may be the best kind of magic, knowing the story continues, even if the storefront disappears.
