The “For Lease” sign hanging outside the Party City at 2817 E 3rd St. has people asking if the party is over. Scott McIntosh, the store's manager, says as far as he knows the store is not closing.
This comes after Party City’s parent company, Party City Holdings Inc., filed a petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Jan. 17 in an effort to climb out of its of $1.67 billion debt hole. As part of the company's restructuring, it also plans to end leases with 28 stores across the country and renegotiate leases with others.
Party City's business has been impacted by "pandemic headwinds, a global supply chain crisis, and other macroeconomic challenges," the company said in a Jan 17. press release.
The “For Lease” sign on the Bloomington store was put up by Hauck Holdings, LTD., a development company based in Ohio. The property is listed on their website as a “highly desirable end cap space” at 8,370 square feet. The rent type and lease length are both listed as “negotiable”. The store is at the end of the building it shares with Staples and Aldi.
An employee at the store said she thinks her job is currently secure.
Party City's corporate office had no comment and Hauck could not be reached for comment.