Lexington, SC - The Party Shoppe by Balloonopolis, a local, family-owned party supply and balloon store in the Hope Ferry Center in Lexington, will be celebrating its first birthday on March 7, 2019. Owners Shawn and Janice Mewborn purchased the store in 2018 when the former owner moved to Atlanta. Since that time, they have worked hard to make the shop their own.
The first thing they did was increase the balloon inventory. “We’ve been in the balloon business for 13 years,” said Shawn. “We know balloons, so over the past year we’ve quadrupled the inventory of both latex and foil balloons to keep up with the latest trends and offer our customers what they want. We’ve even had foil balloons specially imprinted with the local high schools’ logos. They are very popular, especially at graduation time.”
The opportunity to purchase the store came as a surprise, but the idea was not entirely a new one. Janice has enjoyed birthday parties ever since she was a child and had thought about someday owning a party supply shop. “Birthdays are a big dealin my family,” she says. “I have always loved balloons, and now I get to share with others the joy I always felt on my birthday.”
Before The Party Shoppe, there was Balloonopolis, started 13 years ago by Shawn and Janice. Their first job was building two balloon columns for the Grand Opening of the Home Depot at the Village at Sandhill. One evening a week, Shawn made balloon animals at a local restaurant. Now, Balloonopolis includes the entire family, including daughters Jenna and Jillian, Janice’s mom, Kay, and sometimes even her sister Wendy. They’ve created beautiful balloon décor all over South Carolina, including a large balloon exhibit at the SC State Fair for the past five years. That started with a life-size balloon carousel which took over 300 hours to build over 14 days. They can also be seen in five local restaurants making balloon animals for the young and the young at heart. “I’ve got the greatest job in the world,” Shawn said recently. “I get to put smiles on people’s faces.”
The Party Shoppe by Balloonopolis will continue that tradition. “This year has been a very exciting ride,” said Shawn. “We didn’t know what to expect, but when customers say, ‘I’m so glad you’re here’ we know it was all worthwhile.”
To celebrate their first year, The Party Shoppe will be hosting a customer appreciation weekend, Thursday, March 7th thru Saturday, March 9th. There will be birthday cake, balloon animals, and lots of fun. The Mewborns wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Party Shoppe by Balloonopolis’ street address is 5175 Sunset Blvd #9, Lexington, SC. They can be reached by telephone at (803) 490-7315.
