Monday, Sep. 08, 1980
Balloonacy Blooms and Booms
POP! Tokens of affection, celebration or dislike
There are many ways to pay tribute to a loved one: with one perfect rose or, better, as Dorothy Parker observed, one perfect limousine. The newest and most colorful form of testimonial needs neither vase nor gasoline. It is a bouquet of balloons. In virtually every major U.S. city, balloonery is, well, soaring. A cluster of two dozen rubber bubbles costs around $25, not too much more than a florid array of earthbound blossoms. At many ballooneries, the fee covers the cost of delivering the gaudy globules by a messenger dressed as a magician, a mime, a clown, Big Bird, the Mad Hatter, Groucho Marx--or even with an entire chorus line. Sometimes bubbly also accompanies the balloons.
The helium-filled, nonflammable balloons, often with matching ribbons, are most in demand for wedding anniversaries, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, St. Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, and the unscheduled declaration of affection that might otherwise be offered with chrysanthemums. Shelly Anderson, who with Sandye Dianto started the Balloon Express Co. in Los Angeles last May, specializes in hand-painted balloons depicting rainbows, birthday cakes and people's names--even "dirty pictures." One blue batch was decorated with "porno stuff' and delivered with a nude male clown to a woman's "stagette" party. Another Los Angeles company, the Red Balloon, has a lot of requests for black numbers inscribed with messages like I HATE YOU or I DON'T LOVE YOU ANY MORE. In Hollyweird, a divorce date rates lotsa balloons.
Even in the more rational horse latitudes of Boston, balloonery is booming. Joanne Williams, a former producer of children's television shows, unleashed Balloons Over Boston 13 months ago, is already grossing $100,000 a year and expects to earn $250,000 next year. As the official balloon provider for Boston's 350th anniversary, she lofted her airborne wares over the aquarium, parks and city hall. Among her regular clients is Opera Director Sarah Caldwell, who, says Wiliams, "balloons people regularly." Wiliams' deliveries come with cards telling he recipient all about the care and feeding of balloons.
The oldest and perhaps the most successful balloon business is also Boston based. Headed by Joe Del Vecchio, whose grandfather began selling balloons when he came to the city from Italy at the turn of the century, Balloon Bouquets now has 14 affiliates throughout the U.S. and prides itself on Mom-and-Pop-style personal service. In September Del Vecchio will be offering Balloon Bouquet franchises nationwide.
Balloonacy has even spread to Britain, where a company called Balloons Over London is flying high. The fad seems unlikely to deflate. Says Elisse Barrengos, operator of Chicago's Balloonery: "We are in the business of selling magic, and our return is joy." Contrasted with other tokens of affection and celebration, like chocolates, balloons are not fattening; unlike flowers, they do not need watering or sunlight. And when the party's over, they can go out not with a whimper but a POP!
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