Party City closing all its stores, including locations across the suburbs

After more than 40 years in business, Party City is closing its stores, including more than a dozen in the suburbs, CNN reported Friday.

Party City has stores in Algonquin, Arlington Heights, Bloomingdale, Downers Grove, Elgin, Geneva, Gurnee, Hoffman Estates, Lake Zurich, Oakbrook Terrace, Naperville, Niles, Northbrook and Vernon Hills.

Illinois Department of Labor spokesman Paul Cicchini said that under state law a company with more than 75 employees must give them at least the equivalent of 60 days of pay and benefits if the business doesn’t continue to operate for 60 days after giving notice.

CNN reported that New Jersey-based Party City CEO Barry Litwin told corporate employees Friday the company is “winding down” operations immediately and that this would be their last day of employment.

Though Party City had managed to keep most of its more than 800 stores open during bankruptcy, it closed more than 80 between the end of 20022 and August 2024, according to financial documents cited by CNN.

Information about when the stores would be closing was not immediately available.