Behind the scenes at a costume factory in Queens right before Halloween

RICHMOND HILL, N.Y. (WABC) -- It is where superheroes come to life!

It all happens at Rubie's Costume Company's factory in Richmond Hill, Queens where they've been making costumes since 1973. Many of the employees have worked there for much of that time.

Mark Beige is the biggest maker and distributor of costumes in the world with production and offices in 13 countries.

He has 1,000 employees in the United States and about half of them are in New York.

"I know most people by their first names, somewhat of an extended family," Beige said.

It's an extended family working at a business that's an extension of what Beige's father started in 1950, Rubie's Costumes for Kids.

"When I started my career 50 years ago, Halloween was only a trick or treat holiday, only for children," Beige said.

But when fears of poison candy became pervasive in the 70's, people started celebrating Halloween at house parties.

"Within one year, all the adults said, 'Why should all the little monsters have the fun?'" Beige said.

That's when the business really started booming.

Adult costumes now often account for more than 50% of sales.

It's something Beige knows firsthand because he now has three retail locations, which are as much a shop as they are an amusement park.

"It's the best store in the world, innovative, wonderful, and exciting. It's for shows, all the accessories that we need," a customer said.

And you can find the perennials as well like Superman and Darth Vader.

"Darth Vader is probably the epitome of a costume, dashing black in a cape and evil and all that, he's great," Beige said.

It's what Beige will probably wear this year if he can stay awake.

"Well I like to rest on Halloween. Halloween is combo of Halloween and New Years for me. It's the end of one year and the beginning of the next year," Beige said.