Party City Revives Retail Presence Inside 700 Staples Stores
New York, Monday, 27 April 2026.
After closing all standalone locations, Party City is strategically returning by opening spaces inside 700 Staples stores, slashing real estate liabilities while driving foot traffic for the office supplier.
A Strategic Shift from Standalone to Shop-in-Shop
Founded in 1986, Party City faced mounting financial pressures that culminated in multiple bankruptcies over a short period [2]. The company initially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2023, emerging several months later, only to announce it was going out of business in December 2024 [2][4]. By February 2025, the retailer had shut down all of its nearly 700 standalone locations after almost 40 years in business [1]. However, that same month, the brand found a lifeline when New Amscan PC, LLC—an affiliate of California-based holding company Ad Populum LLC—acquired Party City’s assets, intellectual property, and wholesale operations for $20 million [4]. Ad Populum is an investment firm known for managing pop culture brands such as Graceland, Enesco, and Kidrobot [4].
Synergies in the Retail Space
The integration aims to create a comprehensive destination for event planning [4]. Shoppers visiting the dedicated Party City aisles within Staples can purchase traditional celebration staples, including latex and foil helium balloons, tableware, gift bags, favors, and costume accessories [3][4]. Crucially, the alliance leverages Staples’ existing infrastructure; customers can combine Party City’s physical goods with Staples’ same-day print and marketing services to produce personalized invitations, posters, banners, and yard signs [3][4]. Marshall Warkentin, president of Staples U.S. Retail, noted that the collaboration expands what customers can accomplish in a single visit, providing a complete solution for events ranging from grand openings to graduations [2][3][4].
Looking Ahead to Future Expansion
The timing of the April 2026 launch is highly strategic, designed to capture consumer demand ahead of the lucrative spring graduation season [1][3][5]. Joel Weinshanker, CEO of Ad Populum and owner of Party City, emphasized that finding a partner with a strong community connection and national footprint was essential for the brand’s new iteration [1][4]. The companies do not intend to stop at the initial 700 locations; there are active plans to expand the Party City presence to additional Staples stores by the end of 2026 [2][3][4].