Norcostco, Inc.
Norcostco is a 130-year-old, family-owned theatrical supply company selling and renting costumes, makeup, lighting, scenic materials, and stage technology to theatre companies, schools, and performing arts customers across three U.S. showrooms and a BigCommerce storefront.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1894
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Norcostco, Inc. does
Norcostco, Inc. is a family-owned theatrical supply company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, founded in 1894 and operating continuously for over 130 years. The company serves theatre companies, K-12 and university educational programs, performing arts organizations, and individual cosplayers/hobbyists with a comprehensive catalog of theatrical makeup, costumes, scenic materials, lighting equipment, stage effects, wigs, expendables, and audio/visual gear. Its primary differentiator is an in-house costume design and manufacturing operation producing thousands of historically accurate costumes available for rental as full plots or individual pieces, complemented by a Stage Technologies division that supplies and installs lighting, drapery, and effects for venues.
Norcostco, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Norcostco, Inc.
- Legal name
- Norcostco, Inc.
- Website
- https://norcostco.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1894
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Norcostco is a 130-year-old, family-owned theatrical supply company selling and renting costumes, makeup, lighting, scenic materials, and stage technology to theatre companies, schools, and performing arts customers across three U.S. showrooms and a BigCommerce storefront.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Norcostco, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Theatrical Supplies
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management) (MPAGABAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Costume, Dancewear & Performance Wardrobe Care (HSAJAGAJ), Film/TV/Theater Makeup (HSALAHAE), SFX/Prosthetic Makeup (HSALAHAF), Decor Props & Themed Set Rentals (HSACAFAK), Arts, Music & Performance Equipment (Instruments, Art Supplies, Stage/Lighting Basics) (EDAEAIAH)
Keywords
Where Norcostco, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Norcostco, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Costume Rental: Norcostco offers costume rental services with thousands of historically accurate costumes designed, crafted and cared for in-house. They provide full plots and single costume rentals through their retail locations.
- Product Sales: Direct sales of theatrical supplies including makeup, lighting equipment, scenic materials, wigs, costumes, and accessories through their e-commerce platform and retail locations.
- Stage Technologies Installation: Supply and installation services for stage lighting, drapery and effects, working directly with customers to ensure their theater is ready for productions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product purchases at varying price points |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Costume rental services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Norcostco, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Norcostco supplies theatrical makeup, costumes, scenic materials, lighting, stage effects, and audio/visual equipment to theatres, schools, cosplayers, and individual performers. The company operates costume rental and stage technologies installation services alongside its product distribution business, supported by in-house costume design and manufacturing and retail showrooms in Minneapolis, Denver, and Texas.
Product overview
Norcostco is a family-owned theatrical supply company founded over 130 years ago, operating as an e-commerce platform with multiple physical locations (Minneapolis, Denver, Texas). The company offers two core services: Costume Rental (thousands of historically accurate costumes designed and built in-house, available as full plots or single pieces) and Stage Technologies (lighting, drapery, and effects installation services). The product portfolio spans makeup and cosmetics (professional/theatrical makeup, disposables, brushes, special effects, airbrush, color products, glitter/metallic, face painting), cosplay supplies (thermoplastics like Worbla, foam props), scenic products (rigging, brushes, paints, flame retardants, fabric drapery), wigs and facial hair, expendables (breakaway bottles, fluids, tape, gel), lighting equipment, stage effects, education materials, and audio/visual equipment. The company also offers used equipment and clearance items across multiple retail locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Norcostco Costume Rentals: The company's costume rental division offering historically accurate costumes for theatrical productions.
Products and services
- Costume Rental
Companies that use Norcostco, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Norcostco, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Norcostco, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- BigCommercecoreNorcostco's e-commerce platform is powered by BigCommerce (cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-benuoohm6l), which provides the technical infrastructure for their online storefront, product catalogs, and shopping cart functionality.
- Ben NyemajorNorcostco is an authorized reseller and distributor of Ben Nye theatrical makeup products, carrying a wide range of Ben Nye items including foundations, creme colors, powders, and theatrical kits.
- RoscomajorNorcostco carries and distributes Rosco products including paints, Scenic Screen, gels, and other scenic materials. Rosco is a major theatrical supplier that Norcostco represents.
- GAM (GAM Products)majorNorcostco distributes GAM Color products including color filters and CineFilters for theatrical lighting applications.
- CHAUVET ProfessionalmajorNorcostco is an authorized reseller of Chauvet Professional lighting equipment, offering fixtures and lighting solutions for theatre productions.
- Make Up For Ever (MUFE)majorNorcostco carries professional makeup products from Make Up For Ever including HD Skin Foundation and Artist Color Crayon products.
- MehronmajorNorcostco distributes Mehron theatrical makeup products including Paradise AQ palettes, Skin Prep Pro, and various special effects makeup materials.
- KryolanmajorNorcostco carries professional makeup products from Kryolan including Metallic Flakes and other specialty theatrical makeup items.
- ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls)majorNorcostco is an authorized dealer of ETC lighting control products and equipment for theatrical applications.
- Monster MakersminorNorcostco distributes Monster Makers special effects makeup products including mask paint kits, theatrical foam latex systems, and clay stamp texture sets.
- Premiere Products Inc. (Skin Illustrator)minorNorcostco carries Premiere Products Skin Illustrator alcohol-activated makeup products including palettes, liquids, and refills.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Norcostco, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kryolan: Professional makeup manufacturer with global theatrical and film presence. Comparable as a brand Norcostco resells that also operates its own direct channels to the same professional makeup users.
- Production Resource Group (PRG): Largest global provider of entertainment and event technology solutions including lighting, video, and rigging. Comparable as a higher-end incumbent serving the same theatrical and live-event customers with broader production-services depth.
- Amazon (Theatrical Makeup & Costume Categories): Dominant online marketplace that lists and resells many of the same theatrical makeup, costume, and lighting SKUs as Norcostco. Comparable as the broadest competitive threat on price, assortment, and fulfillment speed in Norcostco's product categories.
- Rosco Laboratories: Manufacturer of scenic paints, gobos, filters, and lighting accessories for entertainment. Comparable as a key Norcostco partner that also sells direct to theatrical, film, and event customers.
- ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls): Manufacturer of theatrical lighting fixtures and controls. Comparable as a major brand Norcostco distributes that maintains direct manufacturer relationships with end customers and specifiers.
- Ben Nye Company: Manufacturer of professional theatrical and SFX makeup that Norcostco distributes. Comparable because it sells direct to the same end customers via its own DTC channels, posing channel competition to Norcostco's distribution economics.
Direct peers
- TheatreWorld Backdrops: Specialty supplier of theatrical backdrops, scenery, and stage drapery with rental and purchase options. Closely comparable to Norcostco's scenic/drapery rental and product lines, particularly for schools and community theatres.
- Rose Brand: Major theatrical fabric, drapery, and scenery supplier with deep inventory and custom fabrication capabilities. Directly comparable as a multi-category theatrical supply company serving professional and educational productions.
- Barbizon: Long-established theatrical lighting, grip, and production supply distributor with national reach. Comparable because it serves the same end customers (theatres, schools, houses of worship) with overlapping categories including lighting fixtures, controls, and effects.
- Stage Depot: Online theatrical supply retailer focused on makeup, costumes, wigs, and accessories. Directly comparable as a digital-first competitor in the same consumable categories Norcostco sells.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Norcostco, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceNorcostco, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Norcostco, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Norcostco, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Norcostco, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Norcostco, Inc.
What does Norcostco, Inc. do?
Norcostco supplies theatrical makeup, costumes, scenic materials, lighting, stage effects, and audio/visual equipment to theatres, schools, cosplayers, and individual performers. The company operates costume rental and stage technologies installation services alongside its product distribution business, supported by in-house costume design and manufacturing and retail showrooms in Minneapolis, Denver, and Texas.
Is Norcostco, Inc. a public or private company?
Norcostco, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Norcostco, Inc. founded?
Norcostco, Inc. was founded in 1894. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Norcostco, Inc. based?
Norcostco, Inc. is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Norcostco, Inc. make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Costume Rental is the primary driver. The others are product Sales and stage Technologies Installation.
Who are Norcostco, Inc.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kryolan, Production Resource Group (PRG), Amazon (Theatrical Makeup & Costume Categories), Rosco Laboratories, ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls) and Ben Nye Company. Direct peers are TheatreWorld Backdrops, Rose Brand, Barbizon and Stage Depot.
Does Norcostco, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Norcostco, Inc..
What industry is Norcostco, Inc. in?
Norcostco, Inc.'s product category is Theatrical Supplies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAO, Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management), with a secondary code of HSAJAGAJ, Costume, Dancewear & Performance Wardrobe Care. Its SIC code is 2844.