New LI Party Shop Opens With Focus On Celebrating Milestones, Moments

NORTH FORK, NY — A new party shop has opened its doors in Southold, with a focus on celebrating the milestones that make life precious.

Amanda Giuliano and her business partner Kathy Cilio opened Party Animal North Fork on January 10. The shop is located in the Feather Hill shopping plaza in Southold, nestled behind North Fork Taps and Corks.

Party Animal North Fork will also be participating in Saturday's Southold Winterfest. Stop by for free cotton candy and a balloon backdrop perfect for photo opportunities.

The shop is a veritable jewel box, a rainbow of carefully curated colors and delights, designed to elevate the moments that give life meaning.

Giuliano, who is also the principal design buyer for Nicolette's For The Home in Southold, said her vision for the party store took shape during the dark days of the pandemic.

Having struggled for years in her journey to have a child, Giuliano said her baby was pronounced a "miracle" by her doctor and the joy of her life and her husband's.

Her son, now 4, was born during the pandemic. "I had a very challenging pregnancy. He’s my only child, will be my only child."

But, rather than celebrate with family members — instead of ribbons and brightly wrapped packages and a shower — all those moments were lost during the COVID lockdown.

"We all lost so many moments and celebrations," she said. "My family was not even allowed to come to the hospital when he was born. I didn't realize how much I needed that comfort from family and friends."

Giuliano, like so many, struggled emotionally during the pandemic, needing the human connection that all were left without.

At the same time, she said, Southold's longtime Ye Olde Party Shoppe shuttered in 2022 after 30 years in business.

Giuliano, 39, and Cilio, 56, whom she'd met at a women entrepreneurs' networking meeting and subsequently hired as her assistant at Nicolette's, shared a yearning for marking the major moments in life.

Cilio's son had graduated high school during that time, a "big deal and huge milestone" and there could be no graduation party due to COVID restrictions, Giuliano said.

"We were just sharing the woes of the pandemic, and simultaneously, we just said, 'We should open a party shop!" Giuliano said.

The pair discussed plans for months. "If you know me, you know that when I say I'm going to jump, I’m going to do it," Giuliano said.

And so, step by step, they began the journey toward launching Party Animal North Fork. The logo was designed by Cilio's son, Jaymes Gabrielli, and featured a dachshund, so "Party Animal North Fork" seemed the perfect moniker, Giuliano said.

Giuliano said ideas for the shop had been in her heart for years; she'd admired the look of a California boutique party store, Bonjour Fete, and now stocks their line at her own shop.

Her vision for the shop has been steadfast, Giuliano said. "The majority of the lines we carry are women-owned brands and eco-friendly brands," she said. The focus is on recycled and non-toxic materials, including 100-percent biodegradable balloons from Kalisan.

There are organic, fabric ribbons for those who prefer those to plastic. And while there are still foil and Mylar balloons for sale, Giuliano said: "We do not promote, and will not sell to anyone planning, intentional balloon releases."

She added: "We love our community, too. I am an avid fisherwoman. Kathy is a boater. We are very immersed in this community. And I'm also a mother, trying to teach my son to respect the community. I've taught my son pick up what we find on the beach and now, he does it automatically. Who would I be as a business owner if I didn't stand by these beliefs? We love parties — but we want people to be responsible."

To that end, there are signs at the checkout counter and messages on receipts, reminding customers to "balloon responsibly," she said.

Guiliano, who grew up in Ridge and went to Mercy for a time in Riverhead, said she remembers the swaths of open space, the fields and trees — and feel that it's critical to do all that's possible to save what's left.

The shop is a burst of color blocks and creativity, with items displayed to help guide customers on how to set up and stage their own celebrations.

Tonya Witczak is a part of the team, too, offering balloon creations including arches, pillars, balloon bases and garlands; those are available for pickup and for delivery, with advance notice, Giuliano said.

Customers are able to bring in their own balloons and fill them with helium for a fee, Guiliano said.

The shop, carefully styled and curated with Giuliano's designer's eye, features collections that are carefully grouped together to spark ideas and help guide clients to set up their tables and party spaces.

She also carries the whimsical, including an "Elder Millennial" banner that moms thought was "hysterical," she said.

For those who need a hand with party planning, Giuliano provides a list of recommended vendors to meet every need.

"The most important thing we want customers to know is that they can just ask us for help. We will help you to pull it all together. I'm a designer, that's the easy part for me. If you don't see it, ask — we will create it for you."

Because she believes in giving back, Giuliano also donates heart-shaped stands and balloons for free to local schools participating in the "P.S. I Love You" initiative, aimed at promoting mental health awareness and combatting bullying among students.

There have been deeply rewarding moments for Giuliano on the journey, including blowing up individual balloons for kids and seeing the delight on their faces.

Her own son, she said, "talks about the party store all the time. He has the fringe benefit of having the mommy who will be bringing balloons for his preschool class next week, for Valentine's Day."

And, Giuliano said, those HiFloat balloons include a non-toxic and biodegradable gel that help the balloons stay afloat for up to three weeks — a win-win for busy parents who don't have time on the day of their parties to run out and pick up balloons.

Seeing her vision realized is something deeply meaningful for Giuliani, whose own life was so impacted by the sadness and isolation of the pandemic.

"We lost family members; we couldn’t go to their wakes and funerals," Giuliano said. "I have family members who never got to see me pregnant, or meet my son. That moment, my having a baby – a moment I thought would never happen — happened. And no one could be with me, to celebrate that. We all lost so much, so many moments."

That's why, she said, she was so compelled to create a business designed solely on elevating the events that make life magical.

"Life is really short," Giuliano said. "The pandemic illustrated just the fragility of us being here — and the importance of celebrating these moments of happiness. Don't stop celebrating the moments — because once they're gone, you can't get them back," she said.

Party Animal North Fork is located at 53345 Main Road, Unit 5-3, in Southold. For additional information and for special orders, call 631-765-8377.