About The Party People

 

The above video is our TV appearance on SBS Small Business Secrets and tells The Party People story well.
 
 

At The Party People Shop, we believe everyone should have their dream party. We stock the largest range of party supplies in Australia with over 25,000 products including Themed Decorations, Balloons, Catering Supplies, Confectionary, Seasonal Merchandise, Sports Supporter Products and Costumes. With our unique products and specialised service, we help people create amazing parties!


The Party People Drummoyne Store

Image: The Party People Megastore Drummoyne.

 

It all began in 1985 when Mala Salakas was "Patches" the clown catering for kids parties all over Sydney. Her passion for kids party led her to open a small little party shop in Sans Souci NSW. Today we employ over 40 people and operate the largest retail party supplies outlet in Australia (located in Drummoyne) as well as Australia's most visited online party supply store (according to Experian Hitwise independant site statistics).


The Party People is a retail party supply chain based in Australia and we service customers from our website worldwide. The Party People are also specialists in decorating. We have won many awards in balloon sculptures, classic decor and table centerpieces over the years. Our senior certified balloon artist educates many of the balloon artists in Australia and around the world so when you use us, you get world class service.


Patches The Clown in Sydney Weekender Magazine

Image: Mala Salakas as Patches The Clown in Sydney Weekend Magazine 1992. Current Owners are Dean Salakas (back seat) and Peter Salakas (next to clown)



Interesting Stats About The Party People;

  • More than 25,000 products lines on range.
  • Serviced more than 545,000 parties.
  • Sold more than 4.6 million party supplies.
  • A customer buys something approximately every 9 seconds.
  • Trading for over 30 years and counting.
  • ThePartyPeople.com.au is the most visited party supplies store online (according to www.experian.com) with over 1.7 million unique visitors a year.
  • The Drummoyne Store is Australia's Largest Party Store with more than 1700 square meters of party!
  • The Drummoyne Store is the largest retail store of costumes for sale in Australia.

History

Our story has been covered in the media and we have most of the major coverage on our media page but you can find lots more about us by Googling "The Party People". 

  • 1982 - Mala Salakas started the home based business by hosting and catering for kid’s parties as “Patches the Clown”.
  • 1985 - The business grew to include many clowns and party organisers.
  • 1986 - Mala and her father Peter Nikolas purchased a party planning company called “The Party People” for $2000 and opened a shop in Sans Souci.
  • 1999 - Dean Salakas removed the existing 1 page website and started Australia’s first online party store at www.ThePartyPeople.com.au. 
  • 2003 - Dean Salakas redevelops the company website and strategy as part of a university project. As a result It was one of the first companies in Australia to use google adwords (Sydney Morning Herald Article).
  • 2007 - Brothers, Peter and Dean Salakas purchased the business from their parents.
  • 2009 - Hitwise Independent Statistics confirm The Party People have reached the number one ranking in the party supplies industry, overtaking a party directory to achieve the accolade.
  • 2011 - We launch Australia’s Largest Party Store in Drummoyne
  • 2014 - We launch "WikiParty", The worlds first online party-pedia. 
  • 2015 - We pitch for Investment on Channel 10's Shark Tank and turn down a $400,000.00 offer from Janine Allis.
  • 2017 - Named 2017 Independant Retailer Of The Year by the Australia Retail Association (CEO also named 2017 Retail Leader Of the Year)
  • 2018 - Named 2018 Independant Retailer Of The Year & 2018 Online Retailer Of The Year by the Australia Retail Association (CEO also named 2018 Retail Leader Of the Year)
  • 2019 - Named 2019 Small Retailer Of The Year by the National Retail Association
  • 2020 - Julie Anne Benge (Drummoyne Store Manager) named 2020 Store Manager Of The Year by the National Retail Association
  • 2021 - Named 2021 Party Supplier Of The Year by Party Stylists Of The Year Awards (and from then onwards we became a judge of the awards)
  • 2022 - Acquired Mega Party Warehouse (Campbelltown). Click here for more info.
  • 2023 - Launched the worlds first Augmented Reality Shoppable Mirror
  • Today the business continues to dominate the party industry with Australia's largest range of party supplies distributed all over the world. We are now in the process of preparing ourselves to seek investment to open more retail stores
  • To Be Continued................

 

Meet The Owners

Dean Salakas (left in photo) and Peter Salakas (right in photo) are the Owners of The Party People. The business was started by their mother Mala Salakas(middle in photo) and Grandfather Peter Nikolas.

 

Dean Salaksas, Mala Salakas & Peter Salakas


Dean has a Bachelor of Business and Commerce Degree with Majors in Marketing and Operations Manager. Before becoming an owner at The Party People Dean was a business analyst at Woolworths and was also studying a masters in business. Dean has many retail and business awards including Retail Leader Of The Year. For more information on visit https://au.linkedin.com/in/deansalakas or ThePartyPeople.com.au/Dean

Peter Salakas has an Bachelor of Exercise Science specialising in Exercise Physiology. Peter was previously a Exercise Physiologist at Bounce Exercise Clinic before becoming an owner of The Party People.

 

 

Awards

  • 2023 National Online Retail Association - Best In-Store Innovation
  • 2023 Small Business Awards - Most Trusted Party Supply & Rental Shop 2023
  • 2021 Party Stylist Of The Year Awards - Party Supplier Of The Year (Winner)
  • 2021 Business NSW - Excellence In Small Business (finalist)
  • 2021 National Retail Association - Small Retailer Of The Year (finalist)
  • 2021 Retail Innovators Awards - Research & Strategy (Winner)
  • 2021 Small Business Champion Awards - Small Retailer Of The Year (finalist)
  • 2020 Inside Retail Awards - Pop Up Store Of The Year (finalist)
  • 2020 Power Retail Awards - Top Retail Innovatior (finalist)
  • 2019 National Retail Association - Small Retailer Of The Year (Winner)
  • 2018 National Retail Association - Small Retailer Of The Year (finalist)
  • 2018 Australian Retailer Association - Independant Retailer Of The Year (Winner)
  • 2018 Australian Retailer Association - Online Retailer Of The Year (Winner)
  • 2017 Australian Retailer Association - Independant Retailer Of The Year (Winner)


TV Interviews with The Party People

  •  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhMTpQsxpLQ&feature=youtu.be (see below)
  •  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6J6uAgpsqM
  •  - www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/05/19/third-generation-party-store-owners-say-fun-hasnt-faded
  •  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBuPvDcW2aw
  • ABC - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avRmCFMv03s&feature=youtu.be
  •  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa14zci_7A0
  • Other TV Appearances



Video Interviews with The Party People

  • www.exchange.telstra.com.au/work-life
  • www.rest.com.au/bridgethegap
  • www.facebook.com/business/success/the-party-people
  • www.youtube.com/channel/UCvCzuAjiC8-V6kDSjbiv5ig

Radio Interviews with The Party People

  • Small Biz Matters - https://www.smallbizmatters.com.au/blog/so-you-won-an-award-now-what-836
  • Learn Radio - www.learnradio.com.au/episode-003-bec-millington-from-bauer-media-group-uk-and-dean-salakas-from-the-party-people/
  • The Product Start Up - www.theproductstartup.com/tps015-dean-salakas-party-people/
  • Fresh 92.7 - www.fresh927.com.au/wavelength-31st-october/
  • Desmore Chats - www.desmoremedia.com/talking-business-with-co-founder-of-the-party-people-dean-salakas/
  • Positive Phil - www.acast.com/positivephilshow/party-people-ceo-shark-tank-
  • Small Business Big Marketing - http://smallbusinessbigmarketing.com/marketing-success-factors/
  • Lifestyle Income - http://lifestyleincome.net/how-dean-salakas-grew-his-family-business-and-is-now-australias-online-leader-in-his-industry/#.V3nZpaIgHlY
  • The Entrepreneur Way - http://theentrepreneurway.com/podcast/175-falling-into-triple-digit-growth-overnight-with-dean-salakas-owner-of-the-party-people/
  • eCommerce Masterplan - https://ecommercemasterplan.com/the-party-people-dean-salakas/
  • The Product Startup - http://theproductstartup.com/tps015-dean-salakas-party-people/

Social Pages

Articles About The Party People

  • www.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Party_People
  • www.powerretail.com.au/author/dean-salakas/
  • https://www.smartcompany.com.au/author/dean-salakas/
  • https://www.insideretail.com.au/news/is-it-best-to-be-an-early-adopter-or-a-late-adapter-201901/#daily
  • http://digital.partypaper.com/i/1091497-march-april-2019/7?
  • https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/how-aussie-company-made-1-million-in-a-year-with-one-change/news-story/613072f2b57473c7d39bc6fe4d0b966e
  • http://www.myentrepreneurmagazine.com/2019/01/from-clown-to-market-leader/
  • https://retaillearning.co/my-story-dean-salakas-on-how-to-get-the-party-started-in-retail/
  • www.theleader.com.au/story/5723260/the-party-people-have-every-reason-to-celebrate/
  • www.mylifemynews.com.au/989/retail-survival/
  • medium.com/the-startup-growth/pop-quiz-monday-with-dean-salakas-chief-party-dude-at-the-party-people-370f3bbd5166
  • www.partyworldwide.net/the-party-people-named-2018-retail-leader-of-the-year/
  • www.retailbiz.com.au/retail-profiles/the-party-peoples-multi-award-winning-success-story/
  • www.smartcompany.com.au/industries/retail/party-people-family-business-sticking-bricks-and-mortar-ditching-checkout/
  • https://blog.retail.org.au/newsandinsights/celebrating-omni-channel-retailing
  • www.insidesmallbusiness.com.au/planning-management/how-to-thrive-as-a-bricks-and-mortar-store-part-2
  • www.afr.com/news/special-reports/top-accounting-firms/planning-for-generations-of-success-20171119-gzoe3g
  • www.smh.com.au/small-business/sharing-economy-serves-up-savings-to-small-businesses-20171012-gyzg2r.html
  • www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/funding/46191-shark-tank-why-dean-salakas-decided-not-to-give-up-half-of-his-company-the-party-people/
  • www.smh.com.au/small-business/managing/enterprise/from-university-project-to-global-expansion-20101222-195qn
  • www.powerretail.com.au/product/2017-e-commerce-leaders-playbook/
  • www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/entrepreneur-profile/partying-is-a-family-business.html

 

TPP Australia trading as The Party People Shop
ABN: 53 651 481 837
ACN: 651 481 837