Miami’s iconic ABC Costume Shop is closing its door due to rising rent prices, after nearly 40 years in business.
The iconic South Florida costume shop is set to be closing for good by the end of the summer.
Former movie costume designer and owner, Franco Carretti, has been running the shop for the last 39 years and says that skyrocketing rent costs are forcing him to close.
The store’s original location was in Lemon City, it moved to the Design District in 1993 and then onto Wynwood in 2004. After several recent rent increases, Franco has been unable to find new premises big enough to house the business.
“I decide, because I’m not a spring chicken any more, to retire,” he says, admitting he is sad about the decision. “Whatever you see here was put together in almost forty years.”
“We wish that we could personally thank all our customers and vendors for their wonderful support during all these years,” he continued. “We could never have succeeded without you all. It has been our pleasure.”
Franco’s costumes have been seen in a number of the iconic films and TV shows which have been filmed in Miami, such as Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, Magic City and the Miami Vice pilot.
The shop will be holding an online auction which will auction the costumes – including a number of celebrity outfits – over the next few days. The sale ends on Friday 16 June at 8pm.
