Spring and its warmer weather are here and with that comes a tradition of celebratory events. From corporate and charitable functions to weddings, anniversary parties, and more, the much-anticipated return of social gatherings and celebrating has returned.
While Covid had us in the habit of bringing these celebrations outdoors, event planning businesses are now planning and executing parties that look like the typical large pre-Covid gathering. The return of the large indoor parties and a very special 50th Anniversary are making 2022 a very special year for Party Rental Ltd.
The Teterboro, NJ based company launched its legacy in April of 1972. Party Rental Ltd. has never wavered from its goal of bringing their customers dream celebration to life with a goal of eliminating the stress of event planning. What started as New Jersey Party Rental as an off-shoot of a small liquor company, the business was then sold to Michael and Sunny Halperin. “The couple took a small garage-based company to one of the leading event rental companies in the country,” shared Alan Gottlich, Executive Vice President at Party Rental Ltd. “They started by focusing their business in New York and then business organically grew as they brought in specialty products; cater-driven products that satisfied a large customer base. Thirty years ago, the business expanded to D.C., twenty years ago to Philadelphia, and just about five years ago to the Boston area.”
Michael and Sunny Halperin were entrepreneurs who were looking to connect with some of the largest New York caterers and understand their needs. Since its start, the private organically grown company has offered a wide set inventory of event rental products.
“I joined the company twenty-one years ago when the bakery business I was in sold and my partner retired,” Gottlich said. “Our attorney was the same attorney that Party Rental had so that’s how I was first introduced to them, joined the team, and became a part of their history.”
From the magic in the kitchen to the memories on the dance floor, Party Rental Ltd. handles all of the planning that makes an event so memorable. “We handle it all and have a full-service website designed to help plan an event 24/7,” Gottlich said. “Our design consultants help with layout and design and we have a team addressing calls and email orders. Sunny and Michael wanted a team of great people and we pride ourselves on our positive work environment and core values which integrity, respect, community, opportunity, health and safety.” The employee-first mentality has created a loyal environment full of employees who have been with the company for years.”
Eva Kesse, Rose Rabin, and Chris Lavarco are some of the company’s most recognizable employees. The company gives back to its employees through in-house events and encourages them to grow within the company. “It’s a respectful environment where we can work together and share the high focus on core values,” Gottlich said.
The dedicated product and purchasing team work with the sales and marketing teams and together they work with customers to understand what they are looking for. Over the years, Party Rental Ltd. has sourced multiple factories that create products for the company. “We are constantly designing and developing for the next trends and attending shows to understand what other parts of the world are doing. These events may not just be about design, they may cover food service or textile matters. This is a special industry that is constantly changing and we strive to know what the color of the next season will be and how to meet it,” shared Gottlich.
When beginning to plan an event, Gottlich explained that the start of the project truly depends on the customer: “They may want to start with linen, some with color, but typically the event location and the time of year it takes place help drive the decor. The season the event occurs in can help us aid clients in decor that may fit the weather and their vision. However, sometimes the customer wants to be in the driver’s seat, has a specific vision, and then it is our job to make it a reality. No matter the vision, we can sell a low-budget or high-budget event and work with the client to meet that dream.”
When considering popular rental items, within the linen department it’s going to be about 80% linen products. The same concept applies to other items- a standard 60-inch wood table is about 80% in our popularity rental data and so forth.
A typical concern during event planning may include the amount of inventory on hand. With Party Rental Ltd., most customers may order with excess in the case of damage and the company also has a minimum order quantity for certain products, causing customers to round up. “If a larger product such as an oven isn’t working properly we will deliver a second oven on site. We are designed to react quickly to these problems. We are also used to the pace and demand so the alarming number of wedding backlogs doesn’t scare us, it excites us,” Gottlich said.
In terms of who drives the event space, it could depend on a multitude of factors. “It could be driven by the event planner or designer, the florist, or end-user. Sometimes a client may look at our catalog or pre-styled looks and say ‘That’s the one’ and we go forward from there.” A trend Party Rental Ltd. has observed since Covid is more end-users managing their own events. They have also observed a decline in linen as more events become less formal than before. Differences across their footprint include more linen in D.C., with New York and Boston events typically having less prints.
In planning the layout and design of a space, Party Rental Ltd. additionally works with caterers to bring a welcoming space to life. “The catering chef typically knows our product and pre-identifies which products go with certain surfaces for execution so they will help drive what goes on the plate for aesthetics.”
While the last two years have changed how event spaces work, Party Rental Ltd. thinks we are returning to pre-Covid celebrations. “There were without a doubt more outdoor parties than ever in 2020 and 2021. Coming out of Covid, I think corporate fundraising events will come back in a meaningful way and larger indoor gatherings will once again become a norm.” With Covid, came new health and safety expectations, which has always been an integral part of the company’s standards. “Dinnerware and glassware have always had to be sanitized and we have been doing that from the get-go. These health and safety precautions will live with us past Covid,” Gottlich noted.
Technology has additionally been a key part of Party Rental Ltd.’s success, investment, and growth philosophy. Their 24/7 order processing website allows customers across the country to order for their events; it is the only self-service website in the industry. “We barcode every item and have GPS tracking on all our trucks. Our business is dependent on technology; you cannot have a profitable business without it.
When looking ahead to what the future holds for Party Rental Ltd. the company’s newest market is in Boston and looking to grow there. “We foresee us eventually going to Chicago, but right now our focusing on continuous improvement and executing better than our competitors.”
For more details about Party Rental Ltd. and how they can help meet your party needs, visit their website.
Photo credit for all photos: Party Rental Ltd.
