Timing odd, but owner of new business expects that economy will turn around
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — “I call myself the partyology firm — I know how to do everything for a party,” said Laura Gibbons, 58, from her new store Showstoppers Plus in downtown Ocean City.
“We hold parties at people’s houses and decorate, set up rooms, coordinate, put it all together for them,” said Gibbons, who opened Aug. 18 at 411 E. Eighth St.
Gibbons, who is from North Brunswick and still has a business there, said she and her husband visited the resort last summer and “fell in love with the city.” They returned in late spring and found the vacant store and “it had my name on it,” she said.
The couple plans to retire in the city and decided to open the store to “test the waters.” Gibbons said she had hoped to be open before Night in Venice, which was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when she could have expected a lot of business from those decorating their boats and homes.
Her grand opening was pushed back further by Tropical Storm Isaias and another storm a couple of days later. Now she’s looking at a fall season in which all of the city’s events have been canceled.
But she remains optimistic.
“Not too many people are doing balloons, so we decided to come down here. Once COVID is over, people are still going to want to hold parties,” she said. “I took a chance and I think it’s a good one.”
Gibbons has a background in party planning and is a certified balloon artist, DJ and entertainer.
“I’m always wearing a hat because I wear many hats,” Gibbons said. “If all else fails, I can make things happen.”
Showstoppers Plus specializes in large balloon displays on lawns and in homes.
“We do a lot of that kind of stuff,” she said, adding that balloon decorations start at about $25, with lawn “celebrations” costing $125 and up.
“Some people like to do more elaborate displays, spelling out names with message,” she said. “My job is to find people exactly what they are looking for and putting it all together.”
She said she brings all of the “ingredients” together for a good time.
“I say I am a ‘partyologist.’ We prescribe exactly what you should do.”
Gibbons said she meets with clients and finds out what the party subject is interested in and what the host has in mind and she tells them what they should do for a good time.
“A lot of kids like tacos, so we get a taco truck, an ice cream truck, a waffle truck. Depending on what they want to do, we put it all together,” she said. “I’m all about fun. I think people need fun.”
