The Party Warehouse staff, lead by owner Jerry Sykes, wasn't there just to sell you merchandise, they were there to help you get into the spirit of whatever occasion you were celebrating, to help you make that critical decision of whether to be Batman or Donald Trump for Halloween, and to make sure that, whatever you decided, you'd look and feel spectacular.
Every Halloween, Jerry Sykes was the first person in costume. As the season opened, Mr. Sykes would appear on the floor of the store in some outrageous outfit to the delight of customers and staff alike.
It was a happy place. A place that tweaked our imagination and let us all be kids for a while. It was more than a store that sold party goods; it was a place that helped us embrace and celebrate the happy times in our family's lives.
Keeping customers happy is important, but Mr. Sykes is a person who gave back, who contributed to his community. There was not a nonprofit organization that was ever turned away because their budget wasn't big enough. Whatever they needed was suddenly available at discount prices and, more often than not, Mr. Sykes would throw in a little something extra. Suddenly, their budget was just enough.
Thank you, Mr. Sykes and the staff of Party Warehouse, which is closing the store on Fuller Road. ("Road work to nowhere," Nov. 15).
Thank you for making our special occasions more special, for caring about our children and what was important to them, and for giving back so much to our community. We are all the richer for having had you in our midst.
NORMA L. BALL
Sanford