THE owner of a much-loved gift shop is preparing to retire after more than 50 years helping residents with all their party needs. Michael Kouspetris opened That’s Bizarre with his late wife Kathy in Queen’s Road, Southend, back in 1971 and has been selling everything from balloons to banners and quirky gifts ever since. Now, after decades of success, he is preparing to put his feet up and relax as he enters retirement.
Michael with his late wife, Kathy (Image: Zoe Kouspetris) However, the long-established business will stay in the family with Michael’s daughter Zoe continuing to run the sister site in Leigh once the Queen’s Road shop closes. Reflecting on his approaching retirement, 78-year-old Michael said: “I wouldn’t say I’m too upset. It’s a bit of relief that I’ve finally decided, but I think when I walk out of the shop, I’ll have a little tear in my eye.
” He said that although in recent years the gift industry has taken a hit, he still remembers a time when business was booming. Michael is a balloon specialist (Image: Zoe Kouspetris) “At our busiest point, there was a particular Saturday in the lead-up to Christmas when we got so busy that I had to stand on the door and manage a queue into the shop,” he said. “Once they knocked down the car park behind us, our trade dropped by 20 per cent.
I don’t think we ever recovered from that.” Michael initially took over the unit in 1971, when Kathy was a fashion student. Michael with daughters, Zoe.