After nearly 50 years, Alin Party Supply set to close doors in Riverside
A beloved Inland Empire party supply store is set to close its doors for good next month, ending a nearly 50 year run.
Alin Party Supply, located in the 6400 block of Magnolia Avenue in Riverside, will close at the end of June after owners decided not to seek a new lease or relocate once their current contract comes to an end.
For 47 years, families looking to prepare for a party of any occasion have headed to the beloved store on their way to making memories.
"I just feel like there have been a lot of small businesses in the area that are closing their doors and to me, this is Riverside," said Stephanie Roe, who first shopped in the store when she was a child.
Now a teacher in the same community, she feels like it's the official end of an era.
"Stores like this provide jobs and give us that community feeling, and it just sucks," she said.
Employees are similarly upset by the news.
I'm so sad, cause it's even just like, walking in you get happy," said Naomi Cubillas, an employee of the store for the last three years. "My coworkers and the customers are, like, the nicest people."
The store's second location in Lakewood will remain open, but for many, the 50 mile drive is too much.