Shopping in-person for balloons and supplies for special event parties became a lot more difficult after Party City shut down over 700 of its stores after its 2024 bankruptcy.
Consumers could try checking out Walmart or Target, but the choices at those stores are very limited compared to what Party City offered.
Shoppers can always try online retailers for merchandise, but you can’t physically see and feel the products you are buying to make sure you are purchasing the right items. The options are shrinking as remaining independent Party City store operators file for bankruptcy and in some cases close their stores.
Party City’s brick-and-mortar stores have been disappearing after the company filed for bankruptcy in 2024 and closed over 700 locations.
Party City franchisee files bankruptcy
Party City of Arkansas Inc., which operates the party supplies retailer’s franchise locations in Little Rock and Fayetteville, Ark., filed its Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, seeking to reorganize its debts. The company continues operating its stores as of Nov. 10.
The Little Rock, Ark.-based debtor listed $1 million to $10 million in assets and liabilities according to its petition, filed on Nov. 5, 2026.
The Party City franchisee was not a debtor in franchisor Party City Holdco Inc.’s bankruptcy filing on Dec. 21, 2024.
Party City of Arkansas is one of a handful of Party City franchisees that continued operating store locations after the parent company filed for bankruptcy and closed about 700 locations.
Just 11 Party City stores remain
Independent Party City franchisees operated 19 brick-and-mortar locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico when 2026 began. Since January, eight Party City independent store franchisees closed stores in Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Midlothian, Va.; Honolulu; and all four in Puerto Rico: Bayamon, P.R.; Caguas, P.R.; Guaynabo, P.R.; and Mayaguez, P.R., according to the Party City store locator.
The 11 remaining Party City store locations include: Fayetteville; Little Rock; Bakersfield, Calif.; Fontana, Calif.; Hawthorne, Calif.; Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles; Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles; South Plainfield, N.J.; Memphis, Tenn.; Humble, Texas; and Shenandoah, Texas.
Hawaii store drops affiliation
The Honolulu independent Party City franchise store at 888 North Nimitz Highway ended its affiliation with the national franchisor in July 2026 and became a new establishment known as Party Hawaii, KHON-TV in Honolulu reported.
The new party supplies store will sell merchandise targeting its Hawaiian clientele, according to Andrew Shum, Party Hawaii’s vice president of operations.
“One is to focus on things like everyday sets that are just popular in Hawaii, like casino or cowboy,” Shum said. “The other one is to look at specific things like luau, or maybe making graduation more specialized for Hawaii.”
The store will also seek local vendors to provide Hawaiian products like local snacks or candies, Shum said.
Party City partners with Staples
Party City established a strategic partnership with Staples in April 2026, bringing over 700 store-in-store party supplies shop locations to Staples stores across the nation.
Customers can shop in the designated Party City section of Staples stores for latex and foil party balloons, décor, tableware, gift bags, costume accessories, greeting cards, invitations, and party supplies.
Staples print services will enhance Party City’s products, creating personalized invitations, banners, yard signs, and posters for customers’ special occasions.
“As we take the new Party City to more places than ever before, finding the right partners is essential,” said Party City owner Ad Populum’s CEO Joel Weinshanker. “Staples stood out immediately, not only for its national footprint, but for its strong connection to the communities we have both been part of for years.”
The Party City brand launched in 1986 in New Jersey and grew to over 850 locations in North America. Following Party City’s December 2024 bankruptcy filing, Ad Populum affiliate New Amscan won a bankruptcy auction for the debtor’s brand and operating assets for $20 million.
Related: 57-year-old children’s apparel chain files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
