iParty
 | |
| Public (NYSE MKT: IPT) | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Fate | Acquired by Party City |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Defunct | 2013 |
| Headquarters | Dedham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Products | Party supplies, including plates, cups, decorations, custom invitations, custom ribbons, balloons, halloween costumes, helium tank rentals, and party favors |
| Website | www.iparty.com |
iParty was a chain of more than 52 retail stores in New England and the Tampa Bay Area of Florida that specialized in selling party-related merchandise, as well as seasonal items such as Halloween costumes, Christmas garland, and Easter baskets during the appropriate time of year. In total, the number of different products that iParty sold throughout its stores was over 20,000. The chain, started in 1998 by husband and wife team Sal Perisano and Dorice Dionne, employed more than 1,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Florida.[1]
In March 2013, iParty announced that it had accepted an offer to be acquired by Party City in a deal worth around $38 million in total. The company cited financial issues stemming from the effects of Hurricane Sandy in late-2012 (which disrupted the Halloween season) as a motive for the decision to explore strategic alternatives. iParty's stores were re-branded under the Party City brand.[2]
Awards
- National Party Retailing Awards 2008—Party Retailer of the Year[3]
- National Party Retailing Awards 2006 -- Best Marketing and Promotions[4]
- National Party Retailing Awards 2005—Best Store Website
- Boston Business Journal 2006—Corporate Philanthropy Award
- Communicator Awards 2007—Award for Print Calendar Creative
- Boston Parents Paper 2005–2007—Family Favorite Award for Favorite Party Store
- Taunton Gazette Reader's Choice Award 2008—Best Party Supply Store
- Boston Business Journal 2008—Massachusetts' Top 150 Public Companies[5]
Locations
iParty had more than 50 locations in the six New England states and several were in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ "How It All Began". iParty Corp. Archived from the original on 2008-08-03. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- ↑ "iParty agrees to be acquired by Party City". Boston Globe. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ↑ http://www.iparty.com/about/awards/NPR_08.pdf
- ↑ http://www.iparty.com/about/awards/2006_natlpartyretailing_awards.pdf
- ↑ "Awards". iParty Corp. Archived from the original on 2008-08-03. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- ↑ "Locations". iParty Corp. Archived from the original on 2008-05-31. Retrieved 2008-11-02.