After 40 years in business, Party City announced in December that it would be closing all of its remaining U.S. stores. The company had accumulated nearly $1 billion in debt and filed for bankruptcy in Jan. 2023. Along with the pandemic (when no one was hosting parties) and rising inflation, executives said the helium shortage was part of the reason for the downturn. If you’ve ever been inside a Party City, you know just how robust their balloon business was—and this has left many wondering where to buy balloons now. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best stores for party decor and cheap balloons.
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1. Dollar Tree and Family Dollar
Dollar Tree angered shoppers by raising prices in 2021.Shutterstock
Dollar Tree’s helium-filled mylar balloons are just $1.50 each. You can choose from a variety of designs and ask a store associate to blow them up for you. Or, if you’re in a rush, stores usually have a decent amount of pre-filled birthday and seasonal balloons.
Dollar Tree also sells 25-count bags of latex balloons in all kinds of colors and patterns for just $1.25.
Dollar Tree’s sister store, Family Dollar, is another great balloon resource.
“You can find a good selection of balloons for birthday parties and other events that will be inflated with helium for a fraction of what you will spend at a grocery store or party supplier,” consumer savings and smart shopping expertAndrea Woroch previously told Best Life about Family Dollar.
“You can also find a good selection of gift wrap, from gift bags and tissue to wrapping paper and bows, for much less than what you will pay at a big box store,” she adds.
2. Dollar General
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It’s no surprise that Dollar Tree’s biggest competitor also has a solid balloon game. Expect to pay about the same here: $1.25 for regular mylar balloons, and $5 for extra-large ones.
“Items like decorative bags, tissue paper, wrapping paper, and balloons can be an excellent value at Dollar General,” Trae Bodge, a smart shopping expert at TrueTrae.com, previously shared. “Check out their seasonal party items—including proms and graduations.”
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3. Michaels
4 | Michaels
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Michaels isn’t as cheap as the dollar store—their helium-filled mylar balloons range from $3.99 to $14.99, while latex balloons are $1.99—but they have hundreds of options to choose from, some of which you can even order pre-inflated online for pickup (and in-store inflation is free).
However, Michaels often runs promotions. For example, at the time of writing, all balloons were 40 percent off.
At Michaels, you can also shop for tons of balloon accessories, including helium tanks, pumps, weights, banners, balloon kits, and more. In an email to Best Life, the retailer noted that they sell “exclusive online balloon garlands to make any party Insta-worthy.”
4. Five Below
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Five Below sells a little bit of everything, so naturally, balloons are part of their merchandise at select stores (use the store locater to check if your location offers helium balloons).
Their balloons range from $2 for stick balloons to $5 for larger foil balloons, and inflation is free. They also offer a service where they’ll fill your balloons from another store (for a fee, of course). Do note, Five Below doesn’t inflate latex balloons.
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5. Grocery Stores
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If you’re in a pinch, your local grocery store may also have helium balloons, though the selection will likely be small. Kroger, Publix, Albertsons, and Food Lion are some supermarkets that offer this service at certain locations.
Content shared from bestlifeonline.com.