In their recent move to Signal Mountain from Austin, Texas, Ed and Kitty Castellanet brought with them their online costume business, CostumeVille. They now fulfill orders made all over the world from inventory stocked in their space in Ashley Plaza.
Kitty Castellanet said she started the business in 2006 as a way to make money from home after Ed quit his electrical engineering job to try his hand at professional golf.
“I used to have time to be creative and would always make costumes,” she said.
She noticed in 2006 that her local costume store was selling packaged costumes for $60-$100, and thought the store may be on to something. So, the computer engineering major decided to combine her skills sets to create CostumeVille, and friends in the party business showed her the ropes.
When Ed Castellanet retired from golfing after a few years at age 35, they turned CostumeVille into a full-time business.
Since it is based online, the business enables the family to move anywhere, Kitty said, adding that they chose Signal Mountain for its smaller, kid-friendly community surrounded by nature.
CostumeVille offers between 3,000 and 4,000 costumes, as well as accessories including makeup, prosthetics, teeth, corsets, petticoats and gloves. The inventory is similar to what one would find at a party supply store such as Party City, but with a much wider selection than a physical store is able to display, said Kitty Castellanet.
She said about 80 percent of orders come from the U.S. and the rest are international, with the United Kingdom, Australia and Israel among the farthest-flung locales CostumeVille has delivered to.
Locals have the option to have costumes delivered or to pick them up at Ashley Plaza.
Kitty Castellanet said costume trends for women have shifted from super-sexy package styles that were popular when the business first started, to do-it-yourself costumes put together with accessories. For kids, little girls are more into “girl power” than princesses these days, and boys are into zombies and licensed characters.
CostumeVille can be reached at 713-5362, or visit the online store at costumeville.net.