13 Things We'll Miss After Party City is Gone

Party City is scheduled to close all its doors forever on February 28, finally succumbing to the financial challenges that have plagued the company for years. Growing competition from pop-up holiday-specific retailers and e-commerce options, coupled with consumer spending cutbacks on discretionary purchases have doomed the iconic party store to become a nostalgic memory.

Learn what people will miss most about Party City, and what alternatives will be available once it's gone.

Party City was once considered a discount store for party favors and had a huge selection kids and adults could pore over, but private equity ownership forced them into exclusive supplier contracts and saddled them with an unmanageable debt load.

Blowing up balloons with helium to create a joyously whimsical floating atmosphere is something you can't do through online retailers like Amazon, but the helium shortage of 2019 devastated one of Party City's most profitable services.

Many grocery stores still offer helium services, such as Kroger, Albertsons, Publix, Food Lion, Safeway, and Wegmans.

Sure, there will still be a Spirit Halloween popping up near you in the months leading up to October, but Party City has a better selection for those hosting a party rather than seeking a single costume.

There also isn't as much overlap in the costumes between the two stores as one might imagine, so that will limit choices for Halloween enthusiasts who prefer shopping in person.

Large online retailers are notorious for misleading product pictures and descriptions that leave customers with a much lower quality product than expected.

Being able to see what you're purchasing with your own eyes while physically holding it gives shoppers the best way to make sure they get the quality (or lack thereof) that they expect.

Many parents remember Party City as the only place they could find themed merchandise for their child's very specific favorite character, show, or toy.

Lots of places offer typical main character theme options, but for kids who loved secondary characters, there was only Party City for many years.

We've all got that one candy we never buy because we only like one or two of the flavors in a mixed pack, but Party City had many selections of those single flavors available.

There's something a little bit magical about seeing huge amounts of candy sorted by color that speaks to our inner Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

There isn't another chain dedicated to celebrations the way Party City is, so the alternative is largely just a small department in a larger store — such as Walmart or Target.

We'll miss having a one-stop shop for parties.

Finding a costume wig on the fly is going to be a lot more challenging now, leaving customers largely with online options that don't let them try before buying a new head accessory.

Where else can one find so many different glow sticks all in the same spot? These are great for so many occasions: summer parties outside by a campfire, kids parties, or winter parties when the night seems to come on too suddenly.

Is there anything more fun than making little bags of treats? There's no place like Party City for creating gift bags for children with so many options from color coordinating to toys, candy, and mini accessories.

There's something just a little more special and unique about customized balloons catered specifically to your occasion.

It's likely shoppers will turn to online retailers to fill this niche gap now, but it just won't feel the same.

Personalized banners, life-size custom cardboard cutouts of people, and face masks with any face you want will likely be harder to find in person once Party City shuts down.

There are still plenty of online options available, but unless you comb through the fine print carefully, it'll be hard to know exactly what you're getting until it arrives.

Some folks swear by the plates, cups, napkins, and other tableware at Party City. The quality is just a little bit higher than found at dollar chains — or at least it used to be.

Unfortunately, in recent years, some customers have noticed a decline in quality which may have also contributed to its demise.

The party isn't entirely over, as Canada will still have Party City locations. The stores with our friendly neighbors to the north were acquired by Canadian Tire in 2019 in a baffling move that surprisingly seems to be working out for them.

With Party City closing in the US, people will likely be shopping more online for parties than before. Avoid wasting money by price comparing online before you stock up and always be sure to carefully read the description of any online products before checking out