ROCKAWAY,
N.J., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- It's just around the corner. The weather
gets cooler, the leaves are changing colors, and people are starting to
think Halloween. So what should we expect to see roaming the streets this
year? According to Party City, the nation's largest party goods retailer,
you need only look to your local movie theater or television screen.
"From Spiderman
to Star Wars to Rock Star Divas, costumes this year have a definite
Hollywood feel, as more and more children (and adults) take their cues
from the season's hottest entertainment," says Andy Bailen, Executive
Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing for Party City.
Here are the company's
top picks for this year:
* For the boys:
The company predicts SPIDERMAN will be a huge seller, and has introduced
two new costumes, one of which is an exclusive Deluxe Spiderman Costume.
As STAR WARS has returned to the big screen, you can expect to see Jango
Fett, Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Yoda knocking at your front
door. And little boys still can't get enough of Bob the Builder, SpongeBob,
Harry Potter and Yu-Gi-Oh!
* For the girls
(and even the not-so-little girls), divas are bigger than ever. Party
City noted a huge response with costumes based on last year's "DIVA
LOOK" and has continued to expand along those lines with diva costumes,
featuring accessories such as boas, microphones and platform shoes.
Padme Amidala (from Star Wars) and Dora the Explorer (based on the Nickelodeon
character), as well as Jade & Cloe costumes based on the popular
Bratz dolls are expected to be among this year's favorites as well.
Additionally, the
PATRIOTIC STREAK continues to affect Party City's costume choices. Party
City has seen a steady demand for "hero" costumes...both the traditional
superhero kind (such as Batman and Superman), as well as real-life heroes,
such as for policemen, firemen, and doctors, across all age groups.
This year, the company has expanded its selection of costumes and accessories
to include choices such as New York City firefighter and an U.S.A. cheerleader,
and will carry patriotic styles for kids, teens and adults.
And don't forget
about THE ACCESSORIES, which have quickly become as important as the
costume itself. Popular items are expected to include everything from
boas to feathered wings, eye patches to beards, platform shoes to cat
ears, cowboy hats to fake teeth, nails and every kind of wig you could
want.
For those who think
Halloween is just for kids - think again. Party City estimates that
over 30% of the costumes sold are for adults, and that number continues
to grow. So whether you are four or 44, get down to Party City to check
out the hottest and the coolest Halloween items. Your Halloween celebration
starts at Party City!
Party City Corporation
is America's largest party goods chain and currently operates 230 Company-owned
stores and has 246 domestic franchise stores. To learn more about the
Company, access the Company's web site at http://www.partycity.com/
.
Except for historical
information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking
and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual
results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results.
Those risks include, among other things, the competitive environment
in the party goods industry in general and in the Company's specific
market areas, inflation, changes in costs of goods and services and
economic conditions in general. Those and other risks are more fully
described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.