FOR 20 years, Costumes in the Valley has been part of how Midvale celebrates.

FROM school productions to Halloween, Christmas and themed parties, generations of locals have walked through its doors to become someone else for a night.

Now, the Hooley Road shop will close, ending a two-decade run built on family, creativity and a focus on bringing joy to others.

Owner Meg Bell said that thread had always been at the centre of what she did.

“I enjoy working with children and they always make you laugh,” she said.

“I’ve been doing children’s entertainment for 28 years.”

That same approach carried into the shop, which began as a partnership between Ms Bell and her mother Glen Strawbridge.

“It was designed as her retirement plan but she suddenly passed away seven years ago so things changed then.”

Ms Bell said her mother’s contribution shaped the store in ways customers still recognised.

“She made the most beautiful gowns for people, she’s amazing,” she said.

“Most of them were made by her.

“I had a lot of people coming in going where’s the other lady with the dark hair.”

From its early days operating out of a home to its long-term base in Midvale, the business grew into a steady presence in the community.

Ms Bell said the store moved through the same cycles each year as customers returned for different occasions.

“It just rolls from one season into the next,” she said.

“It leads straight into Easter so you get all your Easter bunnies, from Easter bunnies it kicks to Medieval so all your Medieval festivals start from about May onwards and then that leads into Halloween, Melbourne Cup and then Christmas and then New Year’s Eve parties.

“Halloween’s crazy busy.”

She said trends would shift, but the demand for costumes and the experience of coming into the shop remained consistent.

“One minute 60s and 70s was everything and then the next minute as soon as Great Gatsby came out, the 1920s has been popular ever since.”

Over time, the store also became a fallback for customers let down elsewhere.

“They want to come in, they want to see what they’re buying, they want to feel it, they want to make sure what it actually looks like in the picture,” she said.

Despite remaining a strong business, Ms Bell said the decision to close came down to capacity.

“It’s been fantastic really and is still a very profitable business,” she said.

“It’s a shame we’ve had to close it but I have three other businesses and a part-time job and I just can’t keep up with all of them so that would be the one that has to go.”

For Ms Bell, continuing the shop after her mother’s passing had been both meaningful and demanding.

“It’s been seven years where I’ve been juggling three businesses and this one just takes up too much time.”

Across those years, the store became part of people’s milestones, from childhood parties to community events.

To mark its end, Costumes in the Valley is holding a full closing down sale, with costumes, accessories and shop fittings available.

The business began as a mother and daughter venture, created as a joyful retirement project.

What started as a practical idea quickly grew into a thriving and much-loved local costume destination

After years of dedication, Ms Bell said she has made the difficult decision to close this chapter and that it was a final chance for the community to visit.

“I just want to thank everyone, thank you everyone for supporting us over the years, thank everyone for their compassion when Glen did pass away and please come out and support us one more time,” she said.