By Barbara A. Preston | Posted May 14, 2025
A discount party supply store is scheduled to open this summer in the Montgomery Shopping Center in Skillman on Route 206, by ShopRite.
Owner Adam Silverstein and his wife Danielle Warren Silverstein recently moved to Pennington from Manalapan and were looking for a location for their family-owned small business. They settled on the former Walgreens space, which is actually a huge brick-and-mortar space that has been empty for a number of years — since COVID. It is adjacent to Carbon Health Urgent Care.
The Silversteins know the Montgomery / Princeton-area well. Adam graduated from the Hun School in Princeton, and Danielle grew up in Lawrenceville and graduated from Princeton Day School in 1996.
The first Party Fair store opened in Freehold in 1983.
Adam told The Montgomery News that his father opened the original Party Fair store in Freehold when he was six. The first store opened in Freehold in 1983. There are now 10 stores New Jersey, two in Pennsylvania, and one in Oregon, according to partyfair.com. The franchising department is located in Freehold, and opportunities now are available countrywide.
"So many reasons," Adam said. "I had requested a small space in Pennington for a pop-up store. The landlord recommended their center in Skillman instead. I had never heard of Skillman, but we know Princeton very well, my wife is from Lawrenceville originally, and we both went to high school in Princeton.
"After researching Skillman, it seemed like a perfect place for our small business. It looks to be booming with young families, and hopefully a desire for our products with Party City closing on Route 1. Also, as far as The Montgomery Shopping Center is concerned, I love the idea that it’s almost all family owned small businesses."
From left: Adam and Danielle Silverstein recording an episode of their podcast. (Photo from Marriage + Martinis)
The Silversteins are the founders of the popular podcast, Marriage + Martinis, where they talk about marriage and family with a focus on challenges and how to navigate them. They discuss not only their own experiences, but also the experiences of others, offering insights into divorce, blending families, and co-parenting, as well as how to support those going through such difficult times.
They talk about their new Skillman business venture in their May 5 podcast titled "Big Dreams, Small Business.
"We don't look like a small business," Adam says in the podcast. "We look a bit like Party City, which is a huge corporation. But we are not."
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Adam speculates on whether it is good timing to open a party-focused store. "This is either the best time ever to be doing this, or the worse," he says. "
Party City, for example closed their brick and mortar stores, and also shut down their online retail site. "That's 1,000 stores that are gone. There's no party stores left."
"So, that makes Party Fair the biggest party store chain in the country — with our 14 stores."
On the other hand, Adam mentioned that small businesses are in a tough spot right now.
"We're in a weird financial situation happening in the country right now with the tariffs and the inflation," he said in his podcast. "I've been out there making deals, and contacting suppliers, and I'm not going to be open for another three months.
"So I had to make deals. I needed to ask suppliers to ship to me in July, and to allow me to pay them 90 days after, so I can have sell-through. And then, here come the tariffs. Do I want to pay what it's worth today, or in 90 days? Maybe it won't be available. There's going to be supply shortages, price increases, do you want to take it now? And then, I've got to pay for it now."
Danielle added that "A lot of people don't think this is real."
Yet, Adam and other small businesses are dealing with it. Hopefully, it is a hurdle and small businesses get over it and move on, he concluded. The Silversteins have opted to open their business. The glass is hopefully more than half full.
"Typically, we don’t have very much in terms of environmentally friendly products," Adam told The Montgomery News. "We’ve tried with not much success. But, with this store, knowing the area to be environmentally conscious, I do plan to bring in some items."
Eco-friendly, sustainable products made from responsibly sourced vendors will include compostable paper, party plates, napkins, and cutlery made from natural and compostable bamboo, wood fiber, and sugarcane. These are eco-friendly while the materials make these plates incredibly sturdy and heavy-duty. Adam refers future customers to https://partyfair.shop/pages/instagrammable-partyware.
"I’m still seeking out more items," Adam said. "I’m open to suggestions!"
The Silversteins are now hiring sales associates and managers.
Party Fair
1325 US 206, Skillman, NJ
Email: skillman@partyfair.shop
Web: www.partyfair.shop
Podcast: www.marriageandmartinis.com
