For the family behind Lili Bizarre, a Liverpool costume shop with a 25-year history, Halloween is a year-round operation. Siblings Gary Wakefield and Lorna have transformed their family business into a city institution, with preparations for the October rush beginning as early as February.
Located on Tarleton Street, the two-floor store becomes the epicentre of Halloween activity, selling thousands of outfits to residents across the city. The business, however, has roots that stretch back much further, beginning as a small vintage stall in the 1980s.
Key Takeaways
- Lili Bizarre is a family-run costume shop in Liverpool managed by siblings Gary and Lorna Wakefield for 25 years.
- The business was founded in 1985 by their mother, Lili, as a vintage shop called Bizarre in Quiggins.
- Halloween is their peak season, with preparations starting in February and thousands of costumes sold each October.
- The founder, 84-year-old Lili, still works at the shop on weekends, continuing the family legacy.
The Annual Halloween Transformation
While many see Halloween as a single day of celebration, for the team at Lili Bizarre, it is a monumental event that dictates the rhythm of their entire year. The planning and logistics begin just after the new year, demonstrating the scale of their operation.
"Halloween is definitely our busiest time of the year," said co-owner Gary Wakefield. He explained that while Christmas is also a significant period, its sales are spread across several weeks of parties and school nativities. Halloween, by contrast, culminates in one intense period.
"For Halloween the whole shop gets changed over which takes a while and we spend months preparing for all the stock to arrive. As soon as New Year comes we’re looking at what we can get, we order in February and start taking deliveries from June."
This extensive preparation is necessary to manage the sheer volume of stock. The 3,000-square-foot ground floor of the Tarleton Street shop is completely dedicated to Halloween costumes and accessories for purchase. To accommodate the influx of products, the shop's year-round rental service, housed on the upper floor, is temporarily paused.
The commitment required is significant. "In October we’ll open on Sundays which we don’t normally do, and me and my sister don’t get a day off for about a month in the run-up to Halloween," Gary noted. Despite the demanding schedule, he added, "we really enjoy all the excitement. It’s nice to be part of people’s celebrations.”
By the Numbers: Lili Bizarre
- 25 years: Run by siblings Gary and Lorna.
- 3,000 sq ft: Size of the downstairs retail space.
- 2,000+ costumes: Available for rent upstairs during the off-season.
- 8 months: The lead time from ordering Halloween stock (February) to the peak sales period (October).
From Vintage Stall to Costume Institution
The origins of Lili Bizarre are deeply rooted in Liverpool's independent retail history. The business was started not by Gary and Lorna, but by their mother, Lili, in 1985. Her initial venture was a vintage shop named 'Bizarre' located in the iconic Quiggins market.
A Note on Quiggins
Quiggins was an alternative shopping centre in Liverpool, known for its independent boutiques, artists, and creative spaces. For decades, it was a cultural hub before it closed its School Lane location in 2006. Many successful independent Liverpool businesses started within its walls.
The shift from vintage clothing to costume hire happened organically in the late 1990s. Gary explained the pivotal moment that changed the course of the family business.
"It was only when some students were doing a bad taste party and they didn’t want to buy the clothes so they asked if they could rent them, that the idea formed," he recalled. This single request sparked a new business model.
As themed student nights and parties became more popular, the demand for costume rentals grew. Gary and Lorna, who were initially helping out, officially joined their mother full-time in October 2000, and Lili Bizarre was born.
Expansion and Growth
The new business started with a modest collection of around 300 rental costumes, supplemented by accessory sales. As its popularity surged, the inventory quickly expanded.
"When that got to about 800 costumes, we outgrew Quiggins," Gary said. This growth prompted a series of moves that tracked the business's success. In 2003, they relocated to a larger space on Hardman Street. By 2014, they had moved again to their current, even larger premises in the city centre on Tarleton Street, just off Church Street.
Sourcing and Staying on Trend
To fill their expansive shop, Gary and Lorna have established a global network of suppliers. They source costumes and accessories from across Europe, the United States, and China, while also working with independent creators in the UK.
The shop also serves as an official stockist for Smiffy's, a well-known costume brand that closed its physical Liverpool store on Bold Street at the end of 2022. This partnership ensures a continued high-street presence for the popular brand in the city.
Staying ahead of trends is crucial in the costume industry. The owners are constantly monitoring pop culture for the next big thing, which is often driven by celebrities and characters from film and television.
"Cowboy hats are still really popular, Harry Styles started that and we still sell loads, and Taylor Swift of course," Gary noted, highlighting the influence of music icons. Popular costumes this year include characters like Wednesday Addams and Beetlejuice, alongside the timeless Scream Ghostface mask.
However, some requests remain elusive. "There are some classics which we see every year, and then a few which we get asked for which we wish we could get but just can’t, like The Warriors film from the late 70s and a proper version of Hocus Pocus," he added.
A True Family Affair
Despite its growth into a major city centre retailer, Lili Bizarre remains, at its heart, a family business. The work ethic and passion that started in a small market stall continue to drive the company forward.
After the Halloween rush subsides, Gary and Lorna will have a brief period of calm before preparing for the Christmas and New Year party season. However, one member of the family shows no signs of slowing down.
The shop's founder and namesake, Lili, is now 84 years old but remains an active part of the business she created nearly four decades ago.
"Our mum is 84 now but she still works here on Fridays and Saturdays. People love coming in and seeing her here, they’ll always go over and ask, ‘are you Lili?’ and start having a chat."
Her presence connects the shop's present success directly to its humble beginnings, offering customers a chance to meet the woman who started it all. It is this blend of professional operation and personal touch that has cemented Lili Bizarre's place in Liverpool's retail landscape for over 25 years.