My Favorite Costume

Greg Manger Costume Specialists Columbus, Ohio CostumeSpecialists.com

Established in 1983, Costume Specialists in Columbus, Ohio, is the only custom mascot character production company that manufactures both foam and inflatable costumes. The company makes many of the familiar icons and friends your customers have seen in movies, television shows, amusement parks, chain restaurants, children’s books, safety education events and more.

“We’ve made thousands and thousands of mascots,” company president and CEO Greg Manger says.

Some of the company’s recognizable mascots include The KoolAid Man, The Michelin Man, Curious George, and Paddington Bear. The company also offers an extensive range of services like mascot management and a mascot spa to ensure mascots are well taken care of long after the design is complete.

While he and his team have designed more mascots than he can count, one of his favorites is Boots the Fire Mouse — a mascot Costume Specialists made for The Fire Museum in Columbus.

“We’ve done a lot for national and international clients, but this was special because it was for a local business,” Manger explains.

And there’s more to the Boots the Fire Mouse story.

“Early on — we’re not sure how early — we made the original costume for The Fire Museum, and last

year they wanted to redesign it,” Manger says. “We did the original and we were able to touch it again and bring it up to date with what we do now as far as quality and a new look.” The new and improved Boots wears a working visor and clothing inspired by the real equipment used by fire fighters. “The museum uses it for teaching purposes,” Manger notes. While the pandemic has brought challenges, Manger is confident about the future of the company that’s been leading the way in mascot production for almost four decades. “We are proud to have survived the COVID-19 pandemic and our future is bright as we continue to bounce back,” Manger concludes.

What is your favorite costume? To be considered for an upcoming My Favorite Costume profile, email Editor Kathleen Furore at kfurore@yahoo.com.