When Pop & Pour Party Company opened on Main Street in Olde Towne Daphne in 2022, it set out to be a one-stop shop for anyone planning a celebration. Weddings, birthdays, bridal and baby showers, private parties and holiday gatherings all fall within its reach, with elevated decorations, unique table decor, eye-catching balloons, party favors, gifts and accessories under one roof.
The store, at 1809 Main Street in historic downtown Daphne, held its grand opening in September 2022. By that November, as the holiday season arrived, inventory was expanding rapidly and new customers kept pouring in. The partners behind the shop, Lesley Hendon and Jena Yaeger, were smiling for good reason: sales, as one could not resist saying, were popping.
Two Party Businesses, One Storefront
Hendon and Yaeger, both young mothers of three, came to retail with backgrounds in rentals and party supply merchandise. Hendon operates Tap and Pour Mobile Bar, and Yaeger runs Fair Poppers, a balloon business. Each woman had been searching separately for a retail space at the same time. When a mutual friend suggested they collaborate instead and create the quintessential party and rental store in the heart of downtown Daphne, Pop & Pour was born. The partners affectionately called the new store “their baby.”
The name neatly captures both halves of the partnership: the “pop” of Fair Poppers’ balloons and the “pour” of a mobile bar service. Combining two established small businesses under one roof gave customers a single place to plan everything from table settings to drinks to decorations.
A Balloon Bar Unlike Any Other
The shop’s signature feature is its balloon bar. “We have the only balloon bar,” Yaeger said, standing beneath a bright pink neon “Balloon Bar” sign. It is not the kind of bar that serves wine or spirits. Instead, Pop & Pour’s family-friendly version displays clear jars on open shelves at eye level, each holding uninflated balloons in a rainbow of colors, so customers can start to envision a customized display.
The process is highly personal. One customer planning a party in Fairhope, prompted by a daughter in Frisco, Texas, who asked whether there would be a balloon arch, knew nothing about the balloon craze and did not know where to start. Word of mouth among friendly downtown Fairhope vendors led the customer to a local florist, who recommended Fair Poppers. At the shop, Yaeger suggested bringing in a copy of the party invitation, then used it as a starting point, working the invitation’s soft blues and greens together with champagne-colored balloons and sketching out a plan for the arch on the spot.
That kind of design work reflects a larger trend. Over the past decade, balloon garlands, arches and organic-style installations have become a staple of weddings, showers, birthdays, graduations and corporate events. Designers often mix balloon sizes, finishes and color palettes to create sculptural displays that coordinate with invitations, linens and flowers, and many clients now treat balloon decor as a centerpiece rather than an afterthought.
An Old House With Good Bones
The storefront itself is a designer’s dream. The business occupies an old house with high ceilings and good bones that was transformed into an eclectic retail space. Large windows across the front and along the side give passersby plenty of chances to window shop, though stepping inside is far more fun. The brand-new business looked, even in its first months, as if it had been there for years.
Inside, a wall-to-wall backdrop mural by the owners’ artist friend Allie Ward of Enchanted Bird Creative sets the tone. Ward also painted what serves as a centerpiece of the spacious display area: a piano and bench finished in whimsical pastel shades.
Those artistic touches blend with the colorful merchandise lining the walls in a carefully coordinated display. Hot pinks and oranges sit alongside bright yellows, blues and greens in paper goods arranged in satisfying ombre patterns. In the fall of 2022, Halloween merchandise gave way to a flood of Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings, including a large set of snowman water bottles with built-in straws.
The partners originally planned to use the back of the store, several hundred square feet, as an event space. When retail sales took off faster than expected, they reconsidered and expanded their merchandise into that area instead. Heading into the 2022 holiday season, the decision positioned Pop & Pour for a busy stretch of parties and gift shopping.
That kind of flexibility is common among new small businesses, which often adjust their layouts and offerings once they see what customers actually want. For a party supply store, the holidays are typically among the busiest times of the year, as families and businesses host gatherings and shoppers look for decorations, favors and gifts.
Why Olde Towne Daphne Suits a Party Shop
Daphne sits on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in Baldwin County and has grown into one of the county’s largest cities. It is known as the Jubilee City, a nod to the rare natural phenomenon in which crabs, shrimp and flounder crowd into the shallows along the bay’s eastern shore, usually on summer nights. The city also carries deep history: Daphne served as the Baldwin County seat from 1868 until the county government moved to Bay Minette in 1901.
Main Street in Olde Towne Daphne has developed into a walkable district of restaurants, shops, salons and small businesses, many housed in older buildings and converted homes. The city has invested in its downtown area and parks, and the corridor hosts community events throughout the year. For a boutique party store that relies on foot traffic, window displays and word of mouth, the setting is a natural fit.
The Eastern Shore’s steady population growth also helps. Fairhope, Daphne and Spanish Fort draw young families, retirees and visitors, all of whom celebrate birthdays, weddings, showers and holidays. Local businesses that help people throw memorable parties tend to find an eager audience, and Pop & Pour’s partners built their shop on that demand.
Tips for Planning a Party Display
For anyone considering custom decor for an upcoming celebration, a few general tips can make the process smoother:
- Bring your invitation or inspiration. A printed invitation, fabric swatch or photo gives a designer an immediate color palette to work from, just as Yaeger used an invitation to plan an arch.
- Order early. Custom balloon installations and rentals are often booked well in advance, especially around the holidays, graduation season and wedding season.
- Know your venue. Measurements, indoor or outdoor placement and access times all affect what kind of display is practical.
- Think about weather. On the Gulf Coast, heat, humidity and wind can affect balloons used outdoors, so ask about the best options for your setting.
- Coordinate the whole table. Matching paper goods, favors and accessories can tie a theme together without extra effort.
Small Shops and the Holiday Season
Pop & Pour’s first holiday season arrived at a time when many shoppers were rediscovering the appeal of buying locally. Since 2010, Small Business Saturday, held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, has encouraged consumers to spend at independent shops in their own communities, and downtown districts across Baldwin County often use the weekend to promote their merchants. For a new store, those weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s can set the tone for the year ahead.
Independent party shops occupy a particular niche in that landscape. Big-box stores and online retailers stock plenty of paper plates and streamers, but a boutique shop can offer design help, curated themes and local rentals that are hard to replicate with a shopping cart and a website. The personal consultation Yaeger gave to one customer, building an arch around the colors on a party invitation, is the kind of service that brings customers back and sends them telling friends.
There is also a community dimension. Money spent at locally owned businesses tends to circulate close to home, supporting other local vendors, artists and service providers. At Pop & Pour, that network is visible in the store itself, from the partners’ own companies to the mural and painted piano created by a local artist friend. The florist who pointed a customer toward Fair Poppers illustrates how small businesses on the Eastern Shore frequently refer customers to one another.
For shoppers, that means a trip to a single store on Main Street can connect them with a whole web of local talent, whether they need balloons, a bartender for a backyard party or a hand-painted backdrop for photos.
Visiting Main Street
Pop & Pour Party Company opened at 1809 Main Street in Daphne. As with any small business, hours, services and offerings can change over time, so shoppers should contact the store directly before visiting or planning an event. A stop on Main Street is also an easy way to explore the rest of Olde Towne Daphne, from its restaurants and shops to its bayfront parks just a short drive away.
For two friends who found themselves searching for the same kind of space at the same time, joining forces turned out to be a recipe for a store that looked established from its very first season. In the words of one satisfied customer, Frisco, Texas, has nothing on Daphne, Alabama.