God. Another one bites the dust.
I drove past Hullaballoon yesterday and saw their "50% OFF EVERYTHING" signs plastered across the windows. My heart sank. That little shop on the corner has been my go-to for every birthday party I've thrown since my daughter was 3. She's turning 20 next month.
The Beginning of the End
Elaine Hakim, the 66-year-old powerhouse behind Hullaballoon, is shutting up shop for good on May 31st. Not because business is bad (though let's be honest, what high street business isn't struggling these days?), but because of something much more personal – serious health issues that have forced her hand.
I remember chatting with Elaine back in 2018 when I needed emergency decorations for my sister's surprise 40th. The shop was packed, and she still took 20 minutes to help me pick out teh perfect balloon arrangement. "Don't worry about the time," she told me, "making people happy is what we do."
From Fair Stall to Hull Institution
Elaine and her son Mark started this journey back in 2007, selling balloons at Hull Fair. From those humble beginnings, they built something special – a proper family business that eventually counted P&O Ferries, Hull Trains, and Heron Foods among their clients.
Not bad for a little shop that started with a handful of helium tanks and a dream.
What made Hullaballoon different was their willingness to go the extra mile. Literally. While most of us were discovering the convenience of Amazon Prime, Elaine and her team were driving as far as Liverpool to personally set up decorations for events. Who does that anymore?
When Online Just Doesn't Cut It
Listen. We've all been there. Ordered some fancy dress costume online three days before Halloween, only to find it looks nothing like the picture and feels like it's made from recycled carrier bags.
"People order costumes online, then realise they're too small or poor quality, so they come running to us at the last minute," Elaine told Hull Live. And she's right. I spent $70 on a pirate costume from some website last year that made me look like a disheveled sea captain who'd lost a fight with his own parrot. Ended up at Hullaballoon the day before the party. Elaine's grandson Jamie hooked me up with something that actually fit.
The Grandkids Can't Save This Ship
Speaking of Jamie... he's been helping out at the shop, along with Elaine's other grandchildren over the years. But they've got their own lives, careers, commitments. None of them can take over.
That's the thing about family businesses, isn't it? They're only sustainable if the next generation wants in. My dad ran a hardware store for 35 years and practically begged me to take it over. I became a journalist instead. Poor Dad. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice.
Everything Must Go (Except the Promises)
If you're in Hull, everything in the shop is currently half-price. Everything. Balloons, cards, costumes, the lot.
One thing that impressed me when I popped in yesterday – despite closing down, Elaine assured me they'll honor all existing bookings for parties and weddings. That's integrity. That's old-school business values in an age where companies ghost their customers faster than a bad Tinder date.
Just Another Brick in the Crumbling Wall
Hullaballoon isn't alone in this retail apocalypse. Adam Carpets in Kidderminster? Gone after a century. Fifty people lost their jobs. Huttons in London, Lancaster's Bakery in Harrogate, Marcruss Outdoors in Bristol – all casualties of what business analysts call "changing consumer habits" but what I call "the slow death of community shopping."
My editor bet me £20 I couldn't write this piece without mentioning Amazon. I just lost £20.
The Numbers Are Brutal
According to the Centre for Retail Research, over 13,000 high street stores shut their doors in 2024. That's about 37 EVERY SINGLE DAY. And 2025 is looking even worse.
Meanwhile, retail parks are booming. Because apparently we all want the authentic shopping experience of wandering around soulless warehouses with free parking before grabbing a mediocre coffee from a chain outlet.
I feel like we're witnessing the end of something important. And we're all just... letting it happen.
What We're Really Losing
Hullaballoon isn't just a shop that sells party supplies. It's 17 years of birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and celebrations. It's Elaine remembering your kid's name when you walk in. It's last-minute saves and personal deliveries and "don't worry, we'll sort it."
You don't get that from a next-day delivery app.
When I asked my 8-year-old nephew where balloons come from, he said "the internet." Not a shop. Not a person. The internet.
That's what we're losing. And it breaks my heart.
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https://hellofaread.com/money/uk-chocolate-wars-dubaistyle-treats-hit-ms-and-iceland-and-im-obsessed
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