50-year-old Palatine costume shop is for sale

When Gary and Sandy Dowty decided to dress up as Sherlock Holmes and housekeeper Mrs. Hudson for a swank Halloween party at the Sanfilippo estate in Barrington Hills, they knew exactly where to rent their elaborate period costumes.

The pair turned to Mar Ray Costume Shop in Palatine, which often outfitted Hoffman Estates High School thespians when retired English teacher Sandy Dowty helped run the theater program.

But the fate of their costumes - and thousands more - is unclear. Mar Ray and the property on Northwest Highway is up for sale.

"It would be a tremendous loss for the Northwest suburbs," Dowty said. "The news is very saddening."

But until a buyer comes forward, the owners and employees want to be very clear that they're still open for business - at least for now.

The family decided to sell for a number of reasons, according to Jill Stone. For one, her 87-year-old mother-in-law Marge Olszewski, who started in the business 50 years ago and brought it to Palatine in 1978, is ill and can't tend to the operation. No one in the family is able to permanently step in.

Steadily declining sales also largely contributed to their decision and this Halloween ranks as one of the worst ever. Stone estimates Mar Ray is on track to rent about 400 costumes - down from about 2,000 in a typical season.

Marge Olszewski started Mar Ray, which she named after herself and late husband Ray, in 1959 to make costumes for recitals at the McHenry dance studio she used to own.

The family prays a buyer will continue Mar Ray as a costume shop. But they know that may not be realistic given the growing competition at Web sites, big-box stores and temporary businesses that spring up this time of year.

"It's my mom's life work," said Stone, who works as a flight attendant but helps out at Mar Ray during the Halloween rush. "We'd be heartbroken if someone didn't keep the business going."

Two white buildings, the smaller of which houses children's costumes, sit on property considered extra valuable because it's at a high-traffic intersection, real estate broker William Wiltse said. In the 10 months the property has been on the market, Wiltse has received a couple of serious inquiries but no solid offers.

<p class=factboxtext12col><b>By the numbers</b></p> <p class=factboxtext12col>Santa Claus costumes 260</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>Easter Bunny costumes 200</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>Average cost of three-day rental $35 to $50</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>Costumes rented during average Halloween season 2,000</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>Costumes rented this Halloween 400</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>Opened in McHenry 1959</p> <p class=factboxtext12col>Moved to Palatine 1978</p>