Big Fun Gets a Makeover on Its 20th Birthday

got a big makeover, and of all the changes made to the store this week, owner Steve Presser was giddy about the new extensive mustache section.

Displayed prominently on a column near the register, the tower of artificial facial hair has faux staches for men, women, dogs, and Presser’s personal favorite, a three-foot hair piece for cars.  

People shouldn’t wait for April Fools’ Day to pull pranks.

“April Fools' is a special day, but every day is April Fools’ Day at Big Fun,” Presser said.

April 1 was especially significant this year, as the Cleveland Heights toy, souvenir and joke gift store celebrated its 20th birthday. Presser closed shop for four days to add artwork and "embellish" the already jam-packed, colorful establishment. 

Presser asked local artists to help him and his wife, Debbie Apple-Presser, decorate the store with graffiti art on the floors and ceilings and paintings. Apple-Presser, who is also a local artist, hammered bottle caps and used old bowling pins to decorate the front of the store. She was sitting on the floor of the entrance Thursday afternoon splitting multicolored disco ball key chains in half and gluing them to the molding of the entry way.

Presser also added a new bacon and pickle section, complete with bacon-flavored toothpaste, pickle soap and other goofy gag gifts.

This is just the first phase. More additions to Big Fun are in the works, Presser said. 

Browse the photo gallery above to see all of the new features of this fixture on Coventry.