Party Stores

Halloween and Christmas (From page 97)

The store sold through its inventory of Christmas themed napkins, plates and other party ware. For Halloween, spooky spatulas and decorative bowls were popular, along with cauldrons of all sizes that doubled as displays or vessels for punch or chips. Steiner also noticed more families buying coordinated costumes, often around Disney movies. “Definitely this year we had a lot more,” Steiner observed. “Lots of princess movies, The Incredibles, fun stuff like that.”

At Family Fun Party and Balloons in Pocatello, Idaho, new Owner Stephanie Finlayson liquidated most costume inventory in a garage-style sale last fall. “We decided it wasn’t the direction we wanted to go in,” said Finlayson, who bought the business in 2020. She explained that a successful costume business involves a large selection of both styles and sizes — which, in turn, requires substantial investments of time, money and space. Family Fun still rents Santa Claus and Easter Bunny outfits for holiday events.

Rather than costumes, Finlayson is focusing on balloons. “When you think of balloons, typically you think about kids’ parties. But with the new reflective metallics and new colors out there, balloons are very elegant,” she said. “Our arrangements really make a business owners. “We survived and made it through to 2021, and it was a good year,” Finlayson reflected. “Our community really values family. Getting back to those celebrations was good for all of us.”

In the Southwest, a largely Mexican-American clientele was ready to party at Dulcerías Importaciones Valentinas and Valentina’s Party World, which has three Phoenix-area locations. Owner Frank Martínez said sales were up at the 2,000-square-foot stores; his devoted shoppers rely on Valentina’s not only for special occasions, but for imported Mexican candies and other treats.

This Halloween, trick-or-treaters were out in full force at Valentina’s Party World in Glendale. Costume hits included nurses, clowns, police and other uniform classics. Martínez said he focuses more on costumes for Halloween: big statement at a lower cost” than flowers and other traditional decorations.

Christmas 2021 saw strong business in balloon bouquets, garlands and table runners. This year, Finlayson jumped on the new trend of balloon wreaths; Family Fun’s PVC models are 2.5 feet in diameter, ideal for entryways. Halloween, which gets bigger every year, brought demand for even larger scale decor. Finlayson said her clients were looking to decorate their houses and lawns with so-called “super shapes,” multi-valved balloons starting at 25 inches, and Airwalkers, heliumfilled figures that float in the yard. “People go crazy for those seven-foot skeletons every year,” Finlayson said. Overall, 2021 finished on a high note for the new

“I don’t want to compete with the big box stores on things like ornaments and decorations.”

That said, Valentina’s does strong business in decorative holiday lights. Glow sticks were a big hit this year, along with all manner of lights, indoor and outdoor, for Christmas. “Around the holidays, my clientele prefers very traditional Christmas items,” Martínez said. ❖