A Joyful Tour Inside Balloon Saloon, A Historic Novelty Shop in Tribeca
Time Out New York visited Sharon Hershkowitz, the joyful proprietor of the historic Balloon Saloon, a bustling lower Manhattan novelty shop that has operated since 1981. Hershkowitz gave a lively tour, pointing out her colorful balloon work and other exciting treasures.
Step inside Balloon Saloon, NYC’s legendary wonderland of custom balloon art, vintage nostalgia, and quirky novelty treasures!
Hershkowitz also talked about how this tiny idea, which was born in Brooklyn, became a Tribeca institution.
Founded in 1981, Balloon Saloon started in a Brooklyn living room with an ad in New York Magazine and a helium tank packed into a Volkswagen Rabbit. Over four decades later, it has become a cherished Lower Manhattan institution known for massive installations—from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to historic balloon drops—and an unmatched collection of retro toys that transport every visitor back to childhood.
Her proudest challenge was a “frozen balloon drop” that filled the Park Avenue Armory with balloons that seemed to fall but never landed, a feat she said cost her a month of sleep.
