With More Than 500 Choices, Party City Is The Place For Halloween Costumes In Saint John
There is no season like Halloween for people who get excited about decorating their houses and dressing up in costumes. “What are you going to be this year?” is the question on the minds of little kids and adults who like dress-up parties themselves. And there is no other store like Party City where you can buy what you need for your house and your own costume, whether it’s Halloween or any other special day or event during the year.
“Our selection of Halloween costumes cannot be found anywhere else in Saint John,” says Karen Desrochers, general manager at Party City Saint John. “With over 500 full costume choices, and hundreds of accessories to DIY your costume, we can’t be beat.”
In Saint John, the Party City is located at McAllister Place, but it has its own separate entrance.
“From the moment you step into our store, you are emersed in our spectacular displays,” says Desrochers. “From our inflatables, lighting, and animatronics to our 5’ skeletons dressed up in costumes!”
Most Canadians do their shopping the week before Halloween, those that get an earlier start have their pick of all the best costumes and decorations that are still available.
“If you’re in Saint John within the next couple of weeks, come and take a look at the store before we start selling everything out because you’ll be amazed if you’ve never been in here,” says Desrochers.
The pandemic certainly put a damper on Halloween the last few years, so Desrochers says people are excited to participate more fully this year.
“We may not have been able to celebrate like we wanted to these past few years, but we can see the excitement and drive our customers have this year to make up for it,” she says. “As the children are picking out their costumes, you can hear the parents saying, ‘they can pick what they want, they missed out during COVID.’ For some children, this will be their first year experiencing trick or treating.”
This is also the first year Party City is offering wheelchair costumes (covers for the wheelchair) and accessible costumes. These are loose-fitting and easy to put on. They can also accommodate any children that may have tubes or other medical devices. They are made of material that is to accommodate children with sensory issues.
“It’s 2022, and we have to think of our customers from all walks of life,” says Desrochers. “We want everyone to know that there is something that will work for them. And we are beyond proud to have these selections this year.
Not just for kids anymore
Desrochers says the average Halloween shoppers aren’t just families with children; they also cater to adults that like having their own Halloween parties.
“They’re decorating their basements and their garages,” she says. “They are Halloween fans, and every year they’re purchasing more to add to their collection.”
The Retail Council of Canada says this is true of people across the country. Over 50 percent of those surveyed say they plan on spending at least $50-$100 on Halloween in 2022. Around 10 percent would be spending between $150-$400, and one percent going all out this Halloween, spending over $500.
Desrochers says Party City carries costumes, decorations and party supplies that fit the bill for everything from a kids Halloween celebration to a super scary party or haunted house for grown-ups.
“The trend for decorations is very realistic. People want stuff that’s creepy,” she says of the older crowd.
Not just about Halloween anymore
Overlapping the Halloween season is Diwali, the south Asian festival of lights. Desrochers says as one of the few suppliers of Diwali festival supplies, the store is busy with people looking for items for that celebration as well.
In fact, people often come in for decorations or costumes for a variety of occasions.
“Somebody could be here to buy decorations for a ‘gender reveal’ party and they see all the Halloween [displays] and they end up shopping for that too,” she says.
“Everything that we sell is in celebration of some type of event. We help people make their events extra special.”
In 2019, Party City became a Canadian-owned business when it was acquired by Canadian Tire. Each Party City is franchised out to local business owners, who can tailor their decisions about what’s best for their customers.
The Saint John store is part of the Triangle Rewards program, which allows our customers to earn money to spend on their next purchase. They often run Triangle bonus weekends where customers can earn up to 30 times the points, a very popular event with local customers.
As independent operators, they are also able to select community initiatives to support. Last year, got involved in the “Make a Wish Parade for James”.
“We opened the store early that day so people could come to get balloons filled for him because the city was having a huge parade in his honour,” she says.
They also donated to the family, including a Paw Patrol costume that James wanted. “That was one of our proudest moments,” she says.
All in all, anybody will be amazed when stepping through the doors at Party City located on McAllister Drive. It is worth stopping in before Halloween to see the great selection of costumes, décor and other party supplies. But remember when Halloween is over, Christmas and New Years are right around the corner.
This story was sponsored by Party City in Saint John.