Since founding Balloon Kings® in 2011, “King” Gene Nifenecker II has maintained a philosophy of simplicity as the key to success. While other party supply retailers lost business to mega online retailers during the 2020 global pandemic, Balloon Kings stayed above water by continuing to provide a service that can’t be reproduced online. By Kelsi Trinidad
ENTREPRENEUR
Since founding Balloon Kings® in 2011, “King” Gene Nifenecker II has maintained a philosophy of simplicity as the key to success. While other party supply retailers lost business to mega online retailers during the 2020 global pandemic, Balloon Kings stayed above water by continuing to provide a service that can’t be reproduced online.
Nifenecker comes from a legacy of mom-and-pop shops, so although he’s excited to expand, the secret to his success is about keeping the feel of a small mom-and-pop store with the variety of a big-box store. At the center of the company’s continued growth is the joy brought to every customer.
“Treat that one person, even if they’re coming in for one balloon or bar mitzvah, exactly the same as everybody else,” said Nifenecker. “Don’t be like the people that are in big-box stores with blind eyes. That’s why we keep it small and keep it very friendly.”
Beyond bringing joy to the community, balloons are extremely profitable merchandise with the ability to produce large profit margins. For example, Nifenecker shared that with the simple price of a balloon, “Maintaining and going by the 10-day training program, one can see up to 5 times their return on most products.”
“The Balloon Kings Model does not need to be in a retail mall or large shopping complex. Balloon Kings is a site specific, designation-oriented store. The model works for Street or Avenue rents.” he explained.
To add a personalized touch, Balloon Kings’ employees don’t just fill orders from an invoice, they walk customers through options and color pairings. They create the perfect arrangements for the customers’ specific occasions.
“One of my sales managers is with the customer right now, and they’re pulling out each of the latex balloons to make sure that they all match,” shared Nifenecker. “He’s working on numbers. He’s got some cupcakes. He’s got sparkles. We’re able to take it out of the filing system. Once opened up, he can see the size. He can make sure the colors of the latex balloons match the colors of the mylar balloon.”
It’s clear that Balloon Kings provides nothing less than a royal experience.
Kelsi Trinidad