At Debbie Lyn's Closet off West El Camino Real, Chewbacca the Wookie—from the Star Wars movies—spends his day hanging out with Bart Simpson, 1920s flapper girls and at least a half dozen different Batmen.

Sunnyvale's premier costume shop owner Debbie Lyn Owens spends her days making sure her customers get the perfect costumes, accessories and advice they need, whether they're visiting Sesame Street, Bourbon Street or Baker Street.

The store appeals to the casual person who wants a themed shirt or hat, and the hardcore performer who needs a full-body Wookie costume or a set of medieval weapons.

"We have customers who come in and ask for fangs and then do their whole Dracula costume at home, and we have people who come in for the whole get-up," Owens says.

And with Halloween just around a dark, spooky corner, the store—normally open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday—has kicked into high gear, staying open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

On Aug. 3, the store celebrated its 13th year in Sunnyvale, and Oct. 31 will be its 13th Halloween, although the badge on Owens' shirt says she is on her "umpteenth."

Owens—a performer herself—started the store as an outlet for the costumes she used in local theater productions. She still supplies costumes for productions, but she has expanded to offer costumes for holidays, school projects and corporate events.

The time between Halloween and Christmas is the busiest time of the year because there are so many opportunities to wear costumes. And with the rise of the fantasy and science-fiction franchises such the Star Wars, X-Men, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, the market is hotter than ever this year for costumes.

"Pirates are one of those things that are popular every year, and Caribbean pirates are even more popular now," Owens said, referring to a costume that resembled Johnny Depp's "Jack Sparrow" character from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

Because many books or movies are now parts of franchises, fans have multiple movies, books or comics from which to draw inspiration. Owens said they have at least six Batman costumes, because they have to get new ones each time a new Batman movie comes out.

"Movies definitely encourage it, and even the release of a video picks business up," Owens said.

Some movies, such as The Lord of the Rings series, have so many characters that everyone who comes in can get a unique costume, simply by mixing and matching costumes and accessories, such as weapons from the store's extensive fake weapons selection.

"If it's a stormtrooper, it's a stormtrooper," Owens said, referring to the black and white soldiers from the original Star Wars trilogy. "But if you do Lord of the Rings, you can do anything," she said.

But not all the costumes are action-oriented. There are also Laura Bush masks, cartoon characters and other pop culture icons. Owens used to have seven California Raisin costumes, but all but one have been purchased.

Owens said that her store works to give people costumes that make them stand out, instead of looking like everyone else at the party.

"When you come in here and say 'I want to be a witch,' we don't just hand you a broom and a hat," Owens said.

To make sure her customers get the best possible help, Owens said she tries to hire people with backgrounds that lend themselves to costuming.

"I have wonderful employees, and that's what sets us apart," Owens said. "We really have fun."

Her shop gets repeat customers from all over the state, some who reserve costumes months in advance to make sure they look just right at their events.

Owens' own parents, Mae and Roger Gould, came up from Palm Springs the week of Oct. 16 to pick up costumes for a Halloween party.

"Three dollars a gallon wasn't going to keep us away," her father said with a laugh.

Owens' parents—who recently celebrated 57 years of marriage—tried on a number of combinations, and said they were leaning towards a maiden costume for Mae and possibly Napoleon Bonaparte for Roger.

Owens says she is partial to historical costumes from the 1920s and earlier, and has used many of hers in productions for the Sunnyvale Historical Society and the local chapter of the American Association of University Women.

Music is another big part of Owens life, so she enjoys dresses meant to be danced in, like the teal flapper costume she proudly displays on racks near "zoot" suits and classic formal wear.

"All you have to do is breathe and the dress moves," she said.

Many of her employees have certain eras or styles they're drawn to.

Dianne Henry, 26, came to the store after spending years as a performer at Renaissance Faires in the area. She said she still participates in fairs and has come to love the chance to help other people discover the world of imagination and fantasy that costumes provide.

"It's a blast to work here; it's always changing; you get all sorts of people in here," said Henry, who was wearing a comb-front wig named "The Donald," after Donald Trump. "I'll rent a hippie shirt to someone one day and a fairy costume to someone else the next day."

Henry says it takes a very special kind of person to work in a costume shop.

"We're all a couple bubbles off plumb," says Henry—now on her sixth Halloween with the store.

That versatility allows Owens to turn what many think of as a seasonal specialty into a year-round business.

In addition to historical costumes that can be used for school productions and corporate events, she has at least 60 Santa Claus suits as well as masks, beads and other props for Mardi Gras.

"Californians are cool because they'll do Mardi Gras whenever they feel like it; they don't care," Owens said.

Even with thousands of costumes and millions of combinations possible, Owens doesn't hesitate when asked what her favorite costume is—a canary-yellow walking suit from the 1890s.

"The best thing about this business is that people come in here for fun," Owens said. "It's not like going to the dentist."