What came first: America's obsession with Halloween or Party City? Steve Mandell launched Party City in 1986 as a single store in New Jersey. He sold cups, napkins and other supplies for birthday ...

"I never expected Halloween to be anything ... she uses leftover Party City ribbon she purchased to tie up silverware and napkins. "I think I bought nine or ten spools. Twenty-six years later ...

was known for its party supplies, balloons, holiday decorations and Halloween costumes. Halloween was known to be the retailer's most-important season. NBC New York has reached out to Party City ...

STEVE MANDELL: Halloween was always huge. SELYUKH: Steve Mandell opened the first Party City in New Jersey in 1986 - at first just napkins and cups and other supplies for get-togethers ...

including Halloween decorations and costumes, football-themed party supplies and Christmas and New Year decorations. Party City began store-wide sales on all products in late December, one day ...

launched Party City with a single store in New Jersey. MANDELL: I never, never expected Halloween to be anything like it. SELYUKH: And his original idea was to focus on party supplies - a ...