Lili Bizarre, the fancy dress and balloon emporium in Liverpool city centre, has been run by the Wakefield family for almost 40 years. At the heart of the shop is mum Lilian 'Lili' Wakefield, 85, who still works there on Fridays and Saturdays, while her children Gary, 61, and Lorna, 58, are now at the helm.
Gary Wakefield, co-owner, said: "Lots of people know her. We'll say, 'This is Lili,' and people are amazed she actually exists."
From car boots to queues out the door
Lili, from Bebington, started out trading at car boot sales, selling treasures from house clearances as well as selling and renting vintage clothing, often hunting for stock at antique fairs. In 1988 she moved into the legendary indoor market Quiggins, where her knack for eccentric pieces and seventies vintage gems made her popular with customers.
Gary said: "People would come in to get costumes for bad taste parties. People would say to their friends to 'go to Lili's Bazaar' or 'go to Lili's'." The name stuck, and as business shifted further into fancy dress and costume hire, the family joined forces. By 2000, Lili was working alongside her children, and by 2003 the business had its own shop on Hardman Street. In 2014, the family relocated to Tarleton Street, where the 4,921 sq ft retail space stretches over two storeys and sees queues out the door during busy periods.
One of the last big fancy dress shops
Upstairs, the family offers a costume hire service, while an enormous selection of costumes and accessories fills the downstairs, including cowboy hats, superheroes, wigs, masks and countless other accessories. Lili has kept her love of clothing and, according to her children, is a "big fan of leopard print".
With the closure of Smiffy's on Bold Street in 2024 and independent fancy dress stores becoming increasingly rare, Lili's Bizarre has taken on a big role in Liverpool's city centre. Gary said: "There aren't many fancy dress shops left now, so I guess we're pretty unique. A lot of the smaller ones have gone."
The shop has attracted everyone from families and tourists to film crews and famous faces, including Craig Revel Horwood, Steven Gerrard and Sir Ken Dodd. Lorna said: "[Ken] was lovely. He'd come in and tell us jokes. He'd come in for a wander and for a chat."
Busy periods and celebrations
Halloween is the busiest time of year, with queues snaking out the door. Eurovision was another particularly memorable period, which Gary described as the "perfect fortnight". Christmas brings another rush, as does World Book Day and St Patrick's Day, which Gary described as "absolutely crazy". Hen parties are another major part of the business.
Despite being in the heart of the action, Gary and Lorna rarely join in the festivities themselves. Gary said: "We're too busy to dress up [on Halloween]. But Mum will be out partying."
