Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-11-22
g OF BUSINESS
TALKING OF BUSINESS
Porty copers on increase in D. c.
One Firm Ships Kits to Moscow
BY TRUMAN Il. TEMPLE
Star Stan Writer

If the economists ever get
around to including kids par
ties among the 800-odd indi-
Gators they now use in meaSur-
ing business conditions. they'll
find the usual pattern in WASH
ington.
A Kids Party Index" would
show a slight dip in the 1888
recession. an upward curve for
the past decade, and a very
high peak now.
Gathering data for the KPI
won't be easy. There is no Dis
trict association of caterers for
tots, and the International
Brotherhood of Magicians, the
closest thing to an industry
organization. offers no statis-
tics.
Trade Growing Here
Nevertheless suppliers think
this offbeat trade is growing
here. A number of party serv-
ices came into being in the
postwar period and are. pros
pering.
Should hard times hit" one
declares. pare ats may cut
back and spend 50 instead of
Sc. but as long as there are
children. they'll have parties"
One of the best known, Par
ties Unlimited. is operated by
Mr.. and Mrs. Paul HICKMAN at
3l07 M street NV. 1t entered
the field a decade ago almost
by accident.
1--WE started after I took my
4-year-old son to a party" re-
relates Mrs. HICKMAN, land
found it so unpleasant - the
mother was having Mysteries
and forgot the cake - that I
decided there was a market for
professional help"
The store admits it felt the
recession two years ago. but
took up the temporary slack in
children's parties by supplying
college proms. 1t now stocks
nearly 10000 separate items
and ships everywhere-includ-
ing party kits to the United
States colony" in Moscow.
Fun Films Supplied
The Film Center of WASH
ington. D. c. at 915 Twelfth
street NV. supplying movies
for kids as we'll as for adults,
is another party industry. Mr..
and Mrs. c. Toby Chandler,
owners, admit that the initial
impact of television nearly
knocked them out.
I'VE starved in '49 and so"
says Mrs. Chandler.
The firm bounced back as
the novelty of Nv wore off,
however, and now rents out a
library of 5000 films for Show
ing in homes and clubs. II
don't have a single Santa
movie in color left for the week
of December 49, says Mrs.
Chandler. But they'll use
Mickey Mouse or something
else for a substitute.
Joseph Cohen, owner of the
Aames Paper Co. at Fifteenth
and H streets NE. says the fire.
quency with which youngsters
have blast these days is the
highest it's ever been, at least
as measured by his sales of
paper products.
Even Decorate Walls
Aames Paper makes the
various cups, plates and other
gaily colored necessities for
parties. Mr.. Cohen estimates
sales are up at least 100 per
cent since 1850.
People used to decorate only
the table" he declares. Nov
it's the ceilings and walls too"
Others agree that this busi-
ness holds up surprisingly well
in bad times. LAS far as I was
concerned" comments Alfred
Cohen. partner at the National
Gift Shop. 1905 Pennsylvania
avenue NV, supplying profess
sional magicians, there was no
recession in So"
What does a journeyman
magician get for playing the
party circuit? Alan's Entertain
ment Service of College Park,
Md, is a husband and wife
team that began five years ago
and does rs per cent of it's bust
ness in juvenile audiences. The
team, Mr.. and Mrs. John R.
Wiseman. charge a minimum
of SIS for around 20 minutes of
legerdemain, $25 for a combi-
nation magician-clown appear
ance, and UP to 500 for "illu-