Party City filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2024 and closed its corporate-owned stores through early 2025 — the old standalone locations on South Boulevard and Pineville-Matthews Road have since become a Five Below and a golf shop. The brand was bought out of bankruptcy, and since April 2026 it has operated as shop-in-shops inside 700+ Staples stores in 34 states, selling balloons, décor and party supplies (with ordering on Staples.com and balloon pickups you can schedule online) — fine for balloons and a birthday kit, but not much beyond that.
These six are real storefronts, checked in July 2026. None of them are the Staples arrangement — they are the independents that were always the better answer for anything more specific than a bag of balloons.
Still deciding where to hold it? 7 Kids Birthday Party Places in Charlotte (2026)
Party City closed its stores nationally, not just here — see the full picture: the 2026 party supplies guide
Charlotte party stores at a glance
| Name | Area | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Morris Costumes | Charlotte | Costumes, costume rentals, balloon department |
| Party Starters | Indian Trail | Specialty balloons, tableware, decor |
| La Poblanita Candy Store | Charlotte | Mexican candy for filling piñatas |
| GoParty Decoration | Highland Creek | Custom balloon builds, garlands, arches |
| Carolina Balloon Bar | Concord | Helium, balloon garlands, backdrop rentals |
| Compare Foods | Charlotte (9 locations) | Piñatas, Mexican candy, tableware |
Details as listed by each store when we last checked — confirm with the store before you go.
6 spots below, hand-picked for Charlotte.
Morris Costumes
A 35,000-square-foot superstore on Monroe Road, and the closest thing Charlotte has to a full-range party and costume shop under one roof. Morris Costumes has been dressing Charlotte for more than sixty years — dancewear, formal wear, costume rentals, in-house alterations, and a dedicated balloon department, all in one address rather than three separate trips.
It leans costume and dress-up rather than tableware and decorations, which makes it the right call for a themed birthday, a dress-up box refresh, or a last-minute Halloween-adjacent party rather than a general supply run. Staff have fitted generations of local families, which is the sort of thing that shows up in how patiently they deal with an indecisive eight-year-old.
- Known for
- Costumes, costume rentals, balloon department
Party Starters
Union County's only dedicated party supply store, in Indian Trail on Charlotte's eastern edge. Opened in December 2018 and expanded in 2022, it carries tableware and decor for birthdays and every other occasion, and claims the largest specialty balloon selection in the area — a fair claim once you see the wall of them.
It is a short drive out from central Charlotte rather than in the city itself, but for anyone in Matthews, Indian Trail or the eastern suburbs it is the closer and better-stocked option to a mall trip. Walk-in only; no online ordering.
- Known for
- Specialty balloons, tableware, decor
La Poblanita Candy Store
A dedicated candy store attached to the La Poblanita Mexican restaurant on Westinghouse Boulevard, and the place to go when the piñata is already taken care of and you need something worth breaking it for. The shelves run to traditional Mexican candy by the bag, built specifically for filling piñatas rather than a general bulk-candy selection.
It is a candy specialist rather than a piñata retailer itself, so pair it with wherever you are sourcing the piñata — but for the filling, and for a stop that doubles as a browse through an unusually well-stocked Mexican grocery, it is worth the detour.
- Known for
- Mexican candy for filling piñatas
GoParty Decoration
A balloon studio and party store in Highland Creek, north Charlotte, carrying custom balloon builds — number displays, garlands, arches, centerpieces — alongside general party decor. It's a genuine walk-in retail operation rather than a delivery-only stylist, with a storefront you can browse rather than just an order form.
Worth a look if a themed balloon setup is the centerpiece of your plan rather than an afterthought; staff will build to a specific age, color scheme or character on request.
- Known for
- Custom balloon builds, garlands, arches
Carolina Balloon Bar
A balloon and party supply storefront in Concord, on Charlotte's northeastern edge, that opened its retail shop in mid-2025 after starting as an installation and rental business. It now carries helium and party supplies over the counter in addition to its custom balloon garlands, bundles and backdrop rentals.
It's a short drive out from the city, but a genuine option for anyone in the Concord, Kannapolis or Cabarrus County side of the metro who doesn't want to cross town for balloons.
- Known for
- Helium, balloon garlands, backdrop rentals
Compare Foods
A Charlotte-founded Latino grocery chain with nine locations across the metro, and the practical answer if you want a piñata and the candy to fill it in a single stop without a special trip. Compare Foods runs its own "piñata season" promotions and stocks piñatas alongside a proper Mexican candy aisle at its Charlotte-area stores.
It's a supermarket rather than a specialist, so don't expect a custom-order piñata — but for a stock piñata plus the fillings, tableware and a full grocery run in one visit, it earns its place here.
- Known for
- Piñatas, Mexican candy, tableware
What happened to the chain party stores?
Party City entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2024 and wound down its corporate-owned stores through early 2025, including its Charlotte-area locations — the South Boulevard store near Tyvola Road is becoming a Five Below, and the Pineville-Matthews Road location reopened as a golf shop in mid-2025. The brand itself was bought out of bankruptcy, and since April 2026 it has operated as shop-in-shops inside 700+ Staples stores in 34 states, with ordering on Staples.com and balloon pickups you can schedule online — check Staples' store locator for the nearest Charlotte-area location.
Practically, that means the reflex of "drive to the party store" doesn't take you to a full-range shop anymore. Check Staples' store locator for a location with the Party City section before you set off, and treat the independents above as the reliable option for anything beyond balloons and a birthday kit.
How to shop for a kids' party without three separate trips
Decide the theme before you leave the house. Morris Costumes can dress almost anything, but a specific character costume is either in stock or it isn't, and finding out in person costs you an afternoon.
Handle the piñata and its filling in one trip if you can — a piñata retailer plus La Poblanita for the candy, or one stop if the piñata source also stocks candy.
Buy helium balloons on the day of the party rather than the day before. They sag overnight, and Party Starters' selection is worth timing your visit around rather than pre-buying and hoping.
Party Shops in Charlotte: Where to Buy Supplies — FAQs
Is there a party store near me in Charlotte?
Charlotte’s independent party stores are spread around the metro, from Morris Costumes on Monroe Road to GoParty Decoration in Highland Creek. La Poblanita Candy Store is on Westinghouse Boulevard and Compare Foods has nine supermarkets across the city; on the edges, Party Starters is in Indian Trail and Carolina Balloon Bar is in Concord. For the Party City section now inside Staples, check Staples’ store locator for a Charlotte-area location before you set off.
Is there still a Party City in Charlotte?
Not as a standalone store. Party City filed for Chapter 11 in December 2024 and closed its corporate-owned stores through early 2025; the former South Boulevard store near Tyvola Road is becoming a Five Below, and the Pineville-Matthews Road location reopened as a golf shop. The brand was bought out of bankruptcy, and since April 2026 it has operated shop-in-shops inside 700+ Staples stores in 34 states, with ordering on Staples.com and balloon pickups you can schedule online.
What stores are like Party City in Charlotte?
Morris Costumes on Monroe Road is the closest thing Charlotte has to a full-range party and costume shop under one roof, at 35,000 square feet. It leans toward costumes and dress-up, with a dedicated balloon department. For tableware and décor, Party Starters in Indian Trail is Union County’s only dedicated party supply store, and GoParty Decoration in Highland Creek pairs general party décor with custom balloon builds.
Where can I buy helium balloons in Charlotte?
Carolina Balloon Bar in Concord sells helium and party supplies over the counter, along with custom garlands, bundles and backdrop rentals. Party Starters in Indian Trail claims the largest specialty balloon selection in the area and is walk-in only, and GoParty Decoration in Highland Creek builds number displays, garlands and arches to order. Buy helium balloons on the day of the party rather than the day before, since they sag overnight.
Where can I buy a piñata and piñata candy in Charlotte?
Compare Foods, a Charlotte-founded Latino grocery chain with nine metro locations, stocks piñatas alongside a proper Mexican candy aisle, so one stop covers both. Don’t expect a custom-order piñata there. For the filling alone, La Poblanita Candy Store on Westinghouse Boulevard, attached to the La Poblanita Mexican restaurant, stocks traditional Mexican candy by the bag, made for filling piñatas.
Where can you buy a costume in Charlotte?
Morris Costumes on Monroe Road is the region’s costume superstore, with 35,000 square feet of dancewear, formal wear, costume rentals and in-house alterations. It has been dressing Charlotte for more than sixty years and has a dedicated balloon department too, which makes it the right call for a themed birthday or a dress-up box refresh. Decide the theme before you go, since a specific character costume is either in stock or it isn’t.
