Party City to close its doors Friday, local businesses picking up their customers
“Yay... Sorry Party City”
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The decline of big retail stores is making headlines daily, from Big Lots to Party City. While these major chains are struggling or outright collapsing, there is new hope for small businesses.
“Yay... Sorry Party City but you like that because it’s going to increase my business,” said Becky Ringkamp-Wells.
Tucked away inside her Maryland Heights home is where Ringkamp-Wells runs her balloon business.
Party City announced in December that they would be closing all stores on Friday, February 28.
“It has already started. They call me, and they want their mylars filled and things like that. I don’t mind that,” said Ringkamp-Wells.
“All of these small like family owned, woman business owned, companies that are going to be able to benefit and thrive because of the large corporation not being around,” said Jules Perkovic, the owner of Party Perks.
Perkovic sells balloons and other party decor, she says she’s already seen an increase in business which made her shift her business model even more.
“We have definitely had a larger influx of helium customers coming in the doors. We normally have like 5% of our business that wants helium because we like to focus on the large scale installations, but we definitely have more coming and we’ve had to invest in more helium tanks to better serve,” said Perkovic.
Both small businesses say they’re working around the clock, even amid a helium shortage.
“It is real. That is why the helium prices are so much higher than they used to be, because there is a global shortage. This is actually the fourth helium shortage since the balloon industry started like 40 years ago,” said Perkovic.
“There’s more than one balloon store out there, they’ll come to me or they’ll go to someone else, either way, that’s fine, works for me, I think it will be fine,” said Ringkamp-Wells.
Dollar Tree and Five Below are among the top bidders for Party City buildings. Dollar Tree has bid on the three St. Louis area locations.
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