Silverdale is a Party City, company announces

Party City, a discount party supply store, could open its doors in the former Krause’s Custom Crafted Furniture building on Randall Way as soon as mid-May, corporate officials said this week.

Construction on the building, owned by Kitsap Mall, began this week.

“We are very pleased Party City is under construction,” said Dan Engelhard, senior manager for Kitsap Mall. “We couldn’t be more pleased about getting a replacement so quickly.”

Krause’s closed its doors in July 2001 after the chain declared bankruptcy, and Engelhard said it typically takes a year to lease such a large retail space.

This will be the Rockaway, N.J.-based firm’s fourth store in Washington. It will employ 18-20 employees, according to Party City Vice President of Marketing Erik Mandell. The company is the nation’s largest party supply retailer, Mandell added.

“We see Silverdale and Washington in general as a great opportunity to get into the market. We haven’t been well represented there and we are looking to change that,” said Joe Zepf, vice president and general counsel for Party City.

The firm recently opened stores in Federal Way, Tukwila and Vancouver, and is considering breaking into the Seattle market, Zepf said. Despite the slowing economy, Zepf said management isn’t worried.

“Our feeling is the corporate business we are in, the party business, appeals to a broad demographic. Whether the economy is bad or not, people still have birthday parties for kids. It is not a business that is overly sensitive to economic trends,” Zeph said.

The store will sell supplies and decorations for baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties and other special occasions.

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