Party City to open only 25 Halloween pop-ups

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting a crimp in Halloween celebrations, Party City Holdco has scaled back its own plans.

The retailer plans to open approximately 25 Halloween City pop-up stores this year, compared to 255 last season. It also plans to hire 20,000 temporary employees, down from 25,000 last year. Party City said it expects to retain about 10% of the temporary hires following the Halloween season.

In a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, more than three-quarters of Americans said COVID-19 is impacting their Halloween celebration plans, with overall participation down to 58%.

In a previously announced survey, Party City found that 96% of parents plan to celebrate Halloween this year, with 70% of them seeking alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating.

“Despite the pandemic, we know that consumers are looking to celebrate and capture the special holiday spirit, even if it looks a little different this year,” said Party City CEO Brad Weston. “We are confident that through our contactless options and heightened safety standards, we can deliver the much-needed joy and excitement of Halloween to our customers, while also focusing on our priority of keeping our employees safe.”

To help consumers celebrate the holiday safely, the retailer is offering curbside pickup, same-day delivery, online shopping and in-store contactless mobile phone payments to check out quickly. Customers can also shop Party City’s signature costume wall virtually online or through the Party City app.