Birthday Party Supplies in Cary, North Carolina

Birthday party supplies in and around Cary, North Carolina are not difficult to find, if one knows where to look. Chain stores provide the best prices and often the most variety; there are no independent birthday party supply stores in Cary to my knowledge.

Party City: Perhaps the biggest name around here in birthday party supplies, Party City is, in my opinion, the worst option. The prices are steeper than they would be elsewhere and the variety leaves much to be desired. However, this would be the place to go for piñatas or Mylar balloons. Although they offer several aisles of themed party supplies, their birthday party supplies are limited to two aisles in the best of times. These aisles are typically under-stocked and messy. Guarantees are non-existent in practice, and many boxed items (such as party games) are broken or missing pieces. There is one aisle of generic goods that may provide different colors than other locations, so if you're looking for a very particular shade of pink or green, this might be a good option. However, you will pay more for cups, plates and flatware than you will at another store. Party favors sold at Party City are pretty generic. Party City is a good bet for birthday party supplies that are custom or unique, but not a good option for regular plates and flatware type supplies.

Toys R Us: A hit-or-miss experience for birthday party supplies, Toys R Us is a very good option for party favors. They do not sell many Mylar balloons, but they have a couple of aisles of party supplies. Searching the other aisles for party favors will yield better results, though perhaps more expensive ones. They have in stock anywhere from 3-5 themed birthday party supply sets, as well as a few generic supplies. These are all fairly reasonably priced. Birthday party wrapping paper is a bit more expensive here and the quality rather shoddy, but the paper itself is unique.

Target: With just one and a half-aisles of birthday party supplies, Target provides perhaps the most cost-effective option. Themed wrapping paper is available near or with the themed party supplies. The cost of supplies at Target is quite manageable and the quality fairly good. However, they have a very limited number of themes available. Generic supplies are available, but those are even more limited. Colored cups and flatware is available elsewhere in the store and is not necessarily easy to find. Favors vary and may be available elsewhere in the store.

Babies R Us: This is owned by Toys R Us, and the quality and cost is pretty similar. This is a very good bet for first or second birthday parties. Themes are limited, but the cost is reasonable. Party favors are virtually impossible to find here due to the age range targeted.

A.C. Moore: If you are crafty, this is an extremely good place to look for party supplies. They offer some generic supplies and some themes, but their strength is truly in the "create-your-own" possibilities. They do not have many Mylar balloons and no piñatas, but they offer a variety of options for party favors that party-goers will not have seen (paint your own plaster or wood carved items, for example, or create your own photo frame). The cost is more than Target but less than a specialty store and varies widely depending on particular supplies.

Michael's: Much like A.C. Moore, crafty hosts can find reasonably priced party favors here. Michael's has a wider variety of Mylar balloons and offers the usual party favors in addition to hand-crafted opportunities.