Popular Retailer Plans IL Comeback After Closing All Stores

A year and a half after shutting down all 32 locations in Illinois, Party City is making a comeback.

The retail outlet long known for its seasonal celebrations, costumes, and party planning will now reappear inside some 700 Staples locations around the country, the companies announced this week.

A total of 19 of those Russian doll-style, stores within a store are now open in Illinois.

While the shops will not be as comprehensive as the old Party Cities, they'll still feature plenty of party decor, balloons, tableware, gift bags, costume accessories, and more.

"Staples stood out immediately, not only for its national footprint, but for its strong connection to the communities we have both been part of for years," said Joel Weinshanker, the CEO of holding company Ad Populum, which now owns the Party City brand.

"It felt like a natural fit from the start," he added.

Party City at Staples locations currently open in Illinois include:

• Carbondale, 1325 East Main St.
• Champaign, 2005 N. Prospect Ave.
• Chicago, 111 North Wabash Ave.
• Chicago, 1130 South Canal St.
• Chicago, 4610 North Clark
• Forsyth, 900 Commerce Place
• Frankfort, 20015 S. LaGrange Road
• Glen Ellyn, 539 Roosevelt Road
• Glenview, 1509 Waukegan Road
• Naperville, 1552 South Route 59
• Norridge, 7000 West Forest Preserve
• Oak Lawn, 9631 S. Cicero Ave.
• Pekin, 3507 Court St.
• Peru, 4350 Mahoney Drive
• Quincy, 3100 Broadway
• Rolling Meadows, 1551 Algonquin Road
• Shorewood, 992 Brook Forest Ave.
• Vernon Hills, 1600 N. Milwaukee Ave.
• Willowbrook, 7199 S. Kingery Highway

Additional new Party City add-ons are expected by the end of 2026.

RELATED: Party City To Close All Stores, Including 32 In IL — Report

Staples President Marshall Warkentin said the move allows customers to accomplish more in one place.

"(We're) 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," he said.

Party City closed all their locations in 2024, including Michigan's 21 stores, after multiple bankruptcies. The pandemic and related decrease in in-person gatherings contributed significantly to their demise, officials said at the time.

They had been in business for about 40 years.