CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Inside a 38,000 square foot warehouse in Melrose Park, mask making is an art form.

"Each one is hand painted, hand assembled," said Tony Zagone, owner, Zagone Studios, 4533 W North Ave, Melrose Park, IL.

The Halloween rush is over, but three generations of Zagones are already planning for next year.

"I've had eight days off all year. That includes weekends and holidays," he laughed. "We have shows in December, so we're already preparing for that. We've already met with our big customers about what they're going to buy next year. There really is no slow time."

Patriarch Phil Zagone started the company in his garage nearly 45 years ago.

WBBM:What was your first mask, do you remember?

"Yes, it was a gorilla," Phil Zagone laughed.

He was originally a horticulturist at the Lincoln Park Conservatory.

"In the 1960's my uncle had a novelty store, he was a magician. It was a head shop and they did Halloween. They made more money the two weekends before Halloween than they did the rest of the year, so they knew they were onto something," said Tony Zagone. "We had an artist that could make masks and he'd sculpt in our garage. As kids, we would help. The garage was our production facility initially." 

Zagone's three sons Phil Jr, Tony, and Rich, and now their children design, create, cast, clean, cut, sew, and test hand made masks, hands, feet and costumes.

"The person that wants to be the hit of the party comes here," said Rich Zagone. "We make stuff for haunted houses. People come in and say 'I want that because I want to win the prize this year.'"

Whether it's for dress up, performance, or the big screen, Zagone Studios will create it.

"We send a lot of masks to Hollywood. The nun that was used in the movie "The Town" - that was our mask. That was a catalog item. They just picked it out from our catalog. The last 'Halloween' movie, they used 18 different masks of ours for the scene in the high school. Everything we do is comfortable, you can stay in costume. Our gloves are cloth based, you can drink and smoke in it. We want you to have fun and stay in character," Tony Zagone said.

"I used to have a note pad next to my bed," Phil Zagone said. "I'd come up with my most unique ideas that way."

The company started at Belmont and Southport inside a four-story factory. Production moved into the Melrose Park space about five years ago. Tony Zagone said they produce about 100,000 masks and 50,000 pairs of hands and feet a year, through retail, online and walk-ins.

"We sell direct on Amazon, we sell on our website directly, we sell to the big chains, Party City, Spirit," Tony Zagone said. "We're able to make 400 to 500 models and keep our partners happy with our unique offerings."

Everything is made individually and by hand.

"Some of these molds go back to 1971. We start with a clay sculpt and then we put plaster on it. It takes about two hours to make a single mask. We use about 25 tons of plaster a year," Tony Zagone said. "We have lots of scary masks, but our character masks are the most popular."

Phil Zagone said what they do is unique in the United States.

"We're the only game around," he laughed. "It's almost impossible to stay in business, because we compete with companies in Mexico and China. They make products for way less."

From the scary, to the bloody, to the whimsical, Tony Zagone said it's all about intricacy and comfort and the business goes beyond Halloween.

"Our Christmas business is growing. Our customers ask for Santa Claus masks, elf costumes, you name it. Christmas bar crawls call for all kinds of holiday masks and costumes. Our Christmas business is supplementing Halloween now which is great," he said.

Zagone Studios is truly a family business and has been scaring, disguising, and amusing people for more than four decades.

"My mother still comes in, she's 80-years old, and she paints teeth," laughed Tony Zagone. "Our wives and children help us. That's why were' still around and thriving."

"I'm real proud my family has kept this company going. I really am. My sons have probably tripled my sales and we're in 31 countries," Phil Zagone said.

For more information, visit zagonestudios.com.

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Inside a 38,000 square foot warehouse in Melrose Park, mask making is an art form.

"Each one is hand painted, hand assembled," said Tony Zagone, owner, Zagone Studios, 4533 W North Ave, Melrose Park, IL.

The Halloween rush is over, but three generations of Zagones are already planning for next year.

"I've had eight days off all year. That includes weekends and holidays," he laughed. "We have shows in December, so we're already preparing for that. We've already met with our big customers about what they're going to buy next year. There really is no slow time."

Patriarch Phil Zagone started the company in his garage nearly 45 years ago.

WBBM:What was your first mask, do you remember?

"Yes, it was a gorilla," Phil Zagone laughed.

He was originally a horticulturist at the Lincoln Park Conservatory.

"In the 1960's my uncle had a novelty store, he was a magician. It was a head shop and they did Halloween. They made more money the two weekends before Halloween than they did the rest of the year, so they knew they were onto something," said Tony Zagone. "We had an artist that could make masks and he'd sculpt in our garage. As kids, we would help. The garage was our production facility initially." 

Zagone's three sons Phil Jr, Tony, and Rich, and now their children design, create, cast, clean, cut, sew, and test hand made masks, hands, feet and costumes.

"The person that wants to be the hit of the party comes here," said Rich Zagone. "We make stuff for haunted houses. People come in and say 'I want that because I want to win the prize this year.'"

Whether it's for dress up, performance, or the big screen, Zagone Studios will create it.

"We send a lot of masks to Hollywood. The nun that was used in the movie "The Town" - that was our mask. That was a catalog item. They just picked it out from our catalog. The last 'Halloween' movie, they used 18 different masks of ours for the scene in the high school. Everything we do is comfortable, you can stay in costume. Our gloves are cloth based, you can drink and smoke in it. We want you to have fun and stay in character," Tony Zagone said.

"I used to have a note pad next to my bed," Phil Zagone said. "I'd come up with my most unique ideas that way."

The company started at Belmont and Southport inside a four-story factory. Production moved into the Melrose Park space about five years ago. Tony Zagone said they produce about 100,000 masks and 50,000 pairs of hands and feet a year, through retail, online and walk-ins.

"We sell direct on Amazon, we sell on our website directly, we sell to the big chains, Party City, Spirit," Tony Zagone said. "We're able to make 400 to 500 models and keep our partners happy with our unique offerings."

Everything is made individually and by hand.

"Some of these molds go back to 1971. We start with a clay sculpt and then we put plaster on it. It takes about two hours to make a single mask. We use about 25 tons of plaster a year," Tony Zagone said. "We have lots of scary masks, but our character masks are the most popular."

Phil Zagone said what they do is unique in the United States.

"We're the only game around," he laughed. "It's almost impossible to stay in business, because we compete with companies in Mexico and China. They make products for way less."

From the scary, to the bloody, to the whimsical, Tony Zagone said it's all about intricacy and comfort and the business goes beyond Halloween.

"Our Christmas business is growing. Our customers ask for Santa Claus masks, elf costumes, you name it. Christmas bar crawls call for all kinds of holiday masks and costumes. Our Christmas business is supplementing Halloween now which is great," he said.

Zagone Studios is truly a family business and has been scaring, disguising, and amusing people for more than four decades.

"My mother still comes in, she's 80-years old, and she paints teeth," laughed Tony Zagone. "Our wives and children help us. That's why were' still around and thriving."

"I'm real proud my family has kept this company going. I really am. My sons have probably tripled my sales and we're in 31 countries," Phil Zagone said.

For more information, visit zagonestudios.com.