Party City Returns to Pasadena, This Time Inside Staples

More than a year after the Hastings Ranch Party City went dark for good, the once-popular party supply brand has returned to Pasadena — not on Foothill Boulevard, but inside the Staples at 3660 Colorado Blvd.

Party City left Pasadena in early 2025 when the company’s second bankruptcy triggered the shutdown of every corporate-owned store in the country, including the Hastings Ranch location at 3353 E. Foothill Blvd.

Now the brand is back — not as a standalone store, but as a dedicated shop-in-shop section within Staples, where it sells helium balloons, party décor, tableware, and accessories alongside the office supply chain’s existing print and marketing services. The Pasadena location is one of more than 100 California stores participating in a national partnership, announced April 21, that brings Party City sections to more than 700 Staples stores across 34 states.

Ad Populum — the pop culture merchandise company that purchased Party City’s intellectual property for $20 million at a February 2025 bankruptcy auction — chose the shop-in-shop model to rebuild the brand without the overhead of standalone retail locations, according to Ad Populum CEO Joel Weinshanker.

The sections carry helium-inflated latex and foil balloons, party décor, tableware, gift bags, costume accessories, and party favors. Shoppers can also use Staples’ same-day print services for custom invitations, banners, and yard signs — a combination the companies describe as a one-stop destination for events from birthday parties to business grand openings.

“By bringing Party City into Staples stores, we’re expanding what customers can accomplish in one place — combining helium balloons and party supplies with our print and marketing services to offer a complete solution for celebrations, from graduations to grand openings and everything in between,” said Marshall Warkentin, president of Staples U.S. Retail, in a joint press release announcing the partnership.

California has more participating Staples locations — more than 100 — than any other state in the partnership. More than 75 California corporate Party City stores closed when the bankruptcy wind-down began in December 2024, according to Patch.com — with other sources citing figures ranging from approximately 70 to 88 statewide closures — including the Pasadena location and approximately 26 in the broader Los Angeles area.

Former Party City CEO Barry Litwin announced the wind-down December 19, 2024, the same day he informed corporate employees their jobs had ended; the company officially filed its second Chapter 11 two days later in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. By approximately February 28, 2025, the last corporate stores had closed, idling roughly 12,000 employees.

The rollout arrives as Party City faces a rebuilt competitive landscape. Nearby Michaels moved aggressively after the 2025 closures to fill the party supply gap, introducing a “Party Shop by Michaels” in every store in its fleet. “…The first thing that we concluded was there was tremendous disruption in the marketplace with the exit of Joann Fabric and the exit of Party City — and that job one was to go after that,” Michaels CEO David Boone said at the ICR Conference in January 2026, according to Retail Dive.

One complication: a current helium shortage, linked to supply disruptions from the Iran war, presents a potential challenge for a service centered on balloon inflation, according to Retail Dive. Staples did not respond to a request for comment on the shortage, Retail Dive reported.

Launch promotions at the Pasadena location — and system-wide — include a buy-two-get-one deal on select foil balloons through June 13, 2026, and $5 off party supply purchases of $25 or more through May 2, 2026. Inflated balloon bouquets start under $20. The Pasadena Staples store is at 3660 Colorado Blvd. and can be reached at (626) 395-0693. Online ordering is available at Staples.com; balloon pickup scheduling through the Staples website and app is expected to be available in coming weeks. Both companies plan to expand the partnership to additional Staples locations by the end of 2026.