Classics Still Tops For Halloween Says Port Jefferson Station Costume Shop Owner

When it comes to picking your Halloween costume, Ron Diamond suggests you indulge your inner fantasy.

“Who is your childhood hero?” he asks.

Dress like Superman or The Lone Ranger.

Always wanted to get that law degree? Go trick or treating as a judge.

Diamond knows a thing or two about Halloween.

He owns Ronjo Magic & Costumes in Port Jefferson Station. He’s also been doing this for 38 years and says his was the first dedicated costume shop in Suffolk County.

In 1974, a teenaged Diamond opened up Ronjo, a magic shop in Port Jefferson Station in the same shopping center as PJ Cinemas when it was a twin theater and decades before Uncle Giuseppe's moved in. He added costumes a few years later.

He has since moved to his current location at 1651 Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station.

Diamond lives and breathes costumes, props and magic (the stuff that makes Halloween so spooky and fun) all year round.

“Halloween is the biggest holiday of the year, second to Christmas,” Diamond said. “And the gap is slim.”

In sales dollars Christmas still beats Halloween since people spend more money on products to give as gifts but as far as celebrating and decorating, Diamond thinks the difference is closer than it’s ever been.

For the most part though, he says there’s no real top-ten list of popular costumes.

“Everyone asks that,” he says, pointing out that the classics are always popular as well as dressing up in outfits from different eras like the 1920s through the 1960s.

“The Beatles, Pirates, Indians, Austin Powers,” he said ticking off a few of the most popular costumes.

Even if you don’t know what you want, Diamond says that’s not a problem. He just encourages people to visit his shop as soon as possible. One of his “costume consultants” can help pick one or make up something completely original.

“We’re over 12,000 items deep. Whatever you want it to be we can make it happen,” he said.

His motto: Let’s invent it together.

He also says that the secret to a great costume are the accessories.

“All the accessories bring it to life,” Diamond said.

He even has costumes for pets to match your own.

This year, Diamond says should be particularly good for partygoers and retailers because Halloween falls on a Wednesday making it a split weekend.

“People have parties before and after,” he said. “It’s four times the parties.”

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