Saving our small Dayton business one mask at a time.

Randomly, on Saturday, April 4, 2020, I decided to start making face masks out of my little costume shop above MJ's on Jefferson in downtown Dayton, Ohio. It wasn't a hard conclusion to arrive at because we certainly had everything already in stock to produce masks... Plenty of cotton costume fabrics, elastic bands, thread, machines, you name it! I never intended to make any real money doing this. I thought that a few friends and family would want or need masks and maybe we would make a few to give away. No big deal... Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong! Within one day we had nearly 100 orders and absolutely NO inventory of premade masks... HOLY COW, right?! Along with my husband Mike, we sewed that first night until nearly 2 am and were right back to it at 9 am the next morning. In the first two weeks, we were flooded with so many requests that we were spending 12 - 14 hours a day in the shop sewing. It was nuts. Now, 4 weeks into being mask-makers, we've sewn over 4,000 masks! Eventually, we realized we needed to hire more help to meet demand, and before we even knew it we had created an entirely new facet to our company, John Faas Designs | Act 2 Costumes. My dearest friend, Allison Cox said that my memoir should be entitled "Surprise! I started a company today!" On a side note, that's even more humorous because Allison manages all of the digital back-end details of our whole operation. So... Yes. Surprise indeed! Ha!

Theatrical productions and the months leading up to Halloween marks our busiest time of year, and I don't know about you, but I don't see theatres opening any time soon. We're also reading that it's more and more likely Halloween 2020 will be squelched as well due to this terrible pandemic. So, for now, we're going to keep making masks for anyone and everyone who wants or needs one! I extend my sincerest gratitude to each and every person who has purchased one of our masks. I can't express what this has meant to keep our small business dreams alive. I hope you're pleased with your masks! I hope you realize that many of those masks were made from fabrics that were originally intended for costumes that would hopefully grace a stage one day. Now you - our wonderful community - gets to wear them to protect yourselves and your loved ones, and we couldn't be happier to use our fabric to do so. Stay safe & stay healthy! Sincerely, John Faas Owner For more information or to order your masks visit us as www.act2costumes.com/facemasks

Masquerade Masks to Face Masks:

The importance of adapting during this unimaginable time As many of you already know, Act II Costumes/John Faas Designs has continued to grow and develop its mission. When the company was founded, John wanted to do something special, create something magical... He wanted to build original walking works of art! From his own Hello Dolly! gowns to developing satin dresses for high school plays, his work has continued. Now, however, during this unprecedented time - decisions to adjust were made.

Going through his inventory, determining which fabrics and products were best suited to the task, Act II Costumes began making face masks. It was announced just this past week that the CDC was now recommending people in the United States begin wearing face masks to help combat Covid-19 (Coronavirus). Starting on Saturday, John and his husband Mike began cutting and sewing dozens upon dozens of masks, rushing to fulfill the public's need for masks. Now is the time for everyone to help each other and to keep everyone safe! When considering a mask it's important to note: The masks are NOT medical masks and are not intended for healthcare workers. They're made to cover people's mouths & noses to help prevent the further spread of illness. The masks are reusable and machine washable. Fabric masks should only be worn once, and then promptly washed. When a mask becomes damp it's not longer effective in blocking out germs and particles. We would be remiss if we also didn't mention the following: Masks are not a replacement for staying home. Staying home will help flatten the curve, getting all of us back out into the world once again! Act II Costumes/John Faas Designs is currently accepting orders for face masks. Follow the link below and you will be redirected to the order and information page.

In the very near future, we look forward to seeing all of you out and about & dressed to the nines in one of John's fantastic designs! Until then we ask you to please be safe, stay healthy, wash your hands, help us all flatten the curve, and know that we're thinking about you and your friends & family! With warm regards and a heartfelt thanks, Act II Costume | John Faas Designs https://www.act2costumes.com/facemasks

#flattenthecurve #crushthecurve #daytonstrong

HARVEY at STIVERS: Costumes by John Faas Designs/Act II Costumes

Fall has finally arrived, and with it comes our next costume project! Stivers School for the Arts is presenting HARVEY next weekend, and John Faas Designs/Act II Costumes is dressing this incredible troupe of young actors!

Harvey, a Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy by Mary Chase, is the story of a perfect gentleman, Elwood P. Dowd, and his best friend, Harvey -- a pooka, who is a six-foot tall, invisible rabbit. The show takes place in the 1940's so expect to find fantastic costumes on the stage! Come out and support young artists and check out HARVEY on October 11th & 12th! Tickets are $5 for students, $10 adults ! 1313 EAST FIFTH STREET DAYTON, OH 45402