Party and Paper Magazine

Party Line: Conscious Effort

Graduation is a big deal. Whether it's graduation from preschool, high school, college or driver's training, graduation symbolizes the completion of weeks, months or years of hard work. In addition to the honor and diploma, most graduates also are given a party. Graduation parties are a big deal. They are an especially big deal when the high school graduate gets the flu the day of the ceremony, passes out in the hallway and receives her diploma from the paramedic instead of the principal. Unfortunately, I speak from experience. Considering the fact that I missed the actual ceremony and "Senior Night" festivities, it made my graduation party (and attending those of my friends) all that more important. While the ceremony was the "official" graduation, the party was what we were waiting for. For weeks we went from house to house, each decorated with school colors and…  » Read more

---

Shop Talk: Innovative Party Planners, by Zozzie & Heidi

Spotlight On: Owings Mills, Md. Don't worry...there's a theme for that. When Zozzie Golden and Heidi Hiller of Innovative Party Planners sit down with a client, they have one thing in mind - to make the preparation of the event as enjoyable as the celebration itself. "The party may last only four or five hours, but the time we work with our client may span weeks or even months," Golden said. "We want our clients to enjoy the entire process of planning and decorating their event. They leave our studio excited, knowing that we are taking care of them and allowing them to experience a stress-free affair." What started as a part-time business in Golden's home quickly became serious fun, and in 1996 Golden and Hiller combined their artistic talents and business knowledge to launch Innovative Party Planners, by Zozzie & Heidi. In 2001, Golden,…  » Read more

---

Rise Above Average

Balloons are a quick way to blow up graduation sales For party store retailers, graduation season is typically one of the busiest times of the year and can last throughout the summer. Most customers are looking for something that won't break the bank, but will break out of the mold and set them apart. The answer? Balloons, of course. At Elegant Balloons in Pearl River, N.Y., Anne McGovern offers everything from latex and foil balloon creations to sculptures in a variety of sizes, colors and prices. At graduation time they make sure to ramp-up their inventory of balloons in the popular school colors for the region and offer price ranges to suit any need. "We have an extensive library of ideas that allows people to choose creative décor within their budget," McGovern said. "Many of our most beautiful and impactful pieces are relatively inexpensive and…  » Read more

---

Be A Sport

Score points with customers of every age at every level With all the themes that come and go, keeping up with popular party trends can seem like an athletic feat in itself. Thank goodness for sports-a perennial favorite of young and old, male and female all year round. From little league baseball banquets and birthdays to graduations and Super Bowl bashes, sports offer an everyday sales opportunity both within and beyond the professional and amateur environments. And by staying in the game full-time, consumers will remember that your store sells sports items for their birthday or the big game. Score! Minor LeaguesStarting at the basic level, kids are involved in sports around the calendar - including everything from soccer, baseball and football to hockey and basketball, just to name a few. By including a variety of team colored items (much like your school colored items)…  » Read more

---

Tops in Themes

So many themes, so little time To help you keep your store's partyware mix fresh and exciting, we asked several partyware companies to share which party themes they believe are currently dominating designs on everyday paper tableware and accessories. From their compiled responses, we present the hottest 10 party themes, listed below in no specific order. 1. Luau"Luau takes the number-one slot in popularity due to its wide appeal," said Susan Beer, director of marketing at Amscan. "Everyone can relate to it. It's hot all year 'round." Related to luau are other beach-themed partyware patterns. "Beach entertaining is a category that grows and grows each year," said Richard Glaser, director of sales for Paperproducts Design (PPD). "More of our population is living in warm-weather climates and entertaining around pools and at the beach year-round, from Florida to California." 2. Wine/Cocktails References to cocktails, martinis, wine,…  » Read more

---

The Store Room: “What is the most popular license you are currently selling?”

Our monthly column is devoted to what works and what doesn't - for our readers, from our readers "What is the most popular license you are currently selling? What do you predict for 2011?" Jackye Hardrick Balloon Creations & Events Décor Albany, Ga.The licensed products in hot demand for us are Toy Story, SpongeBob and Dora the Explorer. I predict Dora will still be very popular for 2011, since we're celebrating her 10th anniversary. Tom GrantEmporiaSan Antonio, TexasOur most popular license for 2010 has been Toy Story, and I think that SpongeBob will dominate 2011. Amy StokesThemeNaps LLCAtlanta, Ga.Collegiate licenses are our best sellers, and we anticipate them to grow even more in 2011 as tailgating and TV watching parties increase in popularity. Deidra ButlerBalloonmaniaLa Habra, Calif.The vampire and gothic themes are big right now. The Twilight series has sparked a new love of the…  » Read more

---