Difference between Party City and Party America
Party City and Party America are both chains of stores that sell party supplies in the United States. This means that they sell very similar products, including balloons, cards, party favors and seasonal decorations, although the product range stocked by Party City stores tends to be wider. Both of these chains are currently owned by Amscan, but the businesses began separately and there are still some differences between them. Both of the store names remain in use and a certain separation between the companies is maintained.
Size and Distribution
Party America has annual revenues of about 160 million dollars and it employs more than 1700 people. Party America is the parent company of the Paper Warehouse chain, which also consists of stores selling party goods. The Party City chain is significantly larger than Party America, with many more employees. Party City is considered to be the dominant half of the Party City/Party America partnership.
Party America and the Paper Warehouse stores that it owns are found all around the United States. There are stores in 46 of the states. The only states that don't have any of these stores are New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii and Maine. There are 144 Party America stores in the US, in addition to the Paper Warehouse stores.
The Party City chain includes more than 500 different stores, including over 249 corporate locations and more than 258 different franchises in the US and Puerto Rico. Party City has always been intended to be a one stop shop where people could find all of the party supplies that they needed. It has become particularly well-known as a supplier of seasonal decorations and party supplies, notably for Halloween.
Ownership
Party America was founded in 1980 in the western United States, growing steadily and spreading throughout the US in the following decades. Party America bought the Party Concepts brand in 2004, including stores operating using the names Paper Outlet and Paper Factory. The ownership of Party America was transferred twice in the year 2006. In September, it was bought by ABN AMRO, but then in December of the same year, it was purchased by Amscan.
The Party City company was first started in New Jersey in 1985. The company began to spread rapidly throughout the northeastern states and then the rest of the US. The company was bought by Amscan at the end of 2005.
Amscan
Amscan is the largest party supplies company operating in the United States. It now owns both Party City and Party America, which it bought in 2005 and 2006. Amscan and Party City also acquired Party Outlet and Factory Card during 2009, making the Amscan party supplies business even larger.
Amscan works at all stages of the creation and sale of party goods, from their design and manufacture to their distribution and sale to the general public. The Amscan company operates internationally, although its Party America and Party City stores are found only within the United States. Different brand names are used outside the US.
Summary
Party City and Party America are two of the largest and most widespread chains of party supply stores operating in the United States. Both companies provide a range of different decorations, cards and other party supplies. They are also both part of the larger Amscan company.
- Party City has more than 500 stores in the US.
- Party America has over 144 stores in the US.
- Amscan is the parent company of both Party City and Party America.
- Both chains sell party supplies such as cards, balloons and decorations.
