Party Fair on the move to spiffy new home in Middletown

MIDDLETOWN - Party Fair is bringing the party to the Bottle King shopping center on Route 35.

Its lease not renewed, Party Fair, a discount retailer of party supplies, is moving from Middletown Plaza, a shopping center on Route 35, to the Bottle King shopping center at the corner of Route 35 and New Monmouth Road.

"We had a very nice run there of 20 years," said Marvin Levy, who owns the store and Party Fair locations in Ocean Township, Toms River and Brick.

The new store, formerly home to Bottle King, which moved to a larger space at the plaza, is 8,200 square feet, nearly 37% smaller than the current location. "The store is smaller, but it does have all the same merchandise," Levy said.

He said he expects to open in mid-September.

What's Going There?Gourmet bagel spot, The Bagel Nook, on the way to Route 36 in Middletown

Party Fair fills the last vacant spot at the shopping center, said Patti AmecAngelo, senior vice president at CBRE, who represented the landlord in the lease transaction. Party King was represented by Steven Winters, executive vice president at Ripco Real Estate.

In 2023, the center underwent an $8 million renovation, including a new facade, and an influx of new tenants.

It is now an "up-to-date modern shopping center," AmecAngelo said. Tenants include T Mobile, Hotworx, the Glam House Salon and Mav's Top Buns. Bottle King moved to the former Jersey Strong space. The renovation "is what attracted people," AmecAngelo said. "Now it has a good tenant mix."

What's Going There?See inside Red Bank Veterinary Hospital's splashy new four-story Middletown home

Party Fair, located next Retrofitness, has been at Middletown Plaza for 20 years.

"We are looking forward to our customers to follow us, and then some," Levy said. "We want to thank all the residents of the Middletown area for their support for 20 years and we are looking for another 20 years."

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business, retail, real estate and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for 27 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There column and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Please sign up for his weekly newsletter and join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.

He said he expects to open in mid September.

"PlazaThe discounter of party supplies of r