A New Chapter for a Beloved Downtown Business — and a new beginning for Hitch Studio
Friends,
I’m so honored to share some exciting news with you today. After 25 years of serving the Brookings community with event rentals, balloons, and all the celebration essentials you can imagine, Cheryl Meyer is retiring and passing the Party Depot torch to me and the team at Hitch Studio.
If you’ve ever rented a table, grabbed balloons for a birthday, or found just the right party supplies, chances are Cheryl and her team at Party Depot made it happen. She has built an incredible legacy of helping people celebrate life’s biggest (and smallest!) moments. I want to take a moment to truly thank her for pouring her heart into this business and into Brookings for so many years.
As Cheryl said best: “I’ve loved every year of helping people make their events special. I’m thrilled to see the business grow in Renee’s capable hands and continue to serve our community for years to come.”
I couldn’t agree more.
While the name will change to Hitch Studio, the heart of the business will stay the same: helping you create meaningful, joy-filled gatherings. This isn’t a goodbye — it’s a celebration of 25 years of Party Depot and the start of the next 25 years of Hitch Studio.
What this means for you
- Event rentals & balloons continue: The Party Depot rentals and event balloon services will transition seamlessly to Hitch Studio. Keep those rental orders coming — we’re ready for your fall weddings, holiday parties, graduations, birthday parties, and beyond. Think of Hitch Studio if you need tables, chairs, linens, centerpieces, arbors, wedding backdrops, catering supplies, dishes, and more! We are also continuing the event balloon business. Think balloon towers, garlands, and larger displays.
- Retail liquidation: Party Depot will begin selling its retail items this fall, so you’ll want to stop in and grab deals while you can.
- A familiar face: With the sale of the business, comes a familiar face! Amber Jensen, who has been coordinating rentals and balloons for 10 years at Party Depot will join the Hitch Studio team to help with the event rentals in the new space! We’re thrilled to add her to our growing team!
- Watch for a new website too! Hitch Studio is now combining our wedding planning services, wedding stationery, event decorating, and now decoration rentals for your milestone events — all in one website! If you’re previously visited https://partydepotbrookings.com/, you can visit www.hitchstudio.com for a full gallery of rentals, starting November 3, 2025!
- A new space: Starting November 3, we’ll be moving just a couple doors down to 406 Main Ave. Still right in the heart of downtown Brookings — just with a refreshed look and expanded inventory! We’re so excited to stay downtown and now we’ll have a garage door to help you load your event rentals!
- Grand Opening to come: We’ll celebrate in a big way later this year on December 18th with a ribbon cutting and grand opening in our new space! Until then, you can already start planning with us for rentals now through November 3 (and beyond!).
Why I’m so excited
When I started Hitch Studio in 2014, my dream was to help people celebrate beautifully. With this transition, we’ll be combining Party Depot’s incredible rental selection and Cheryl’s legacy with Hitch Studio’s wedding planning and event design expertise. The result? Even more options, displays, and personal service for YOU.
It’s an honor to carry forward something so many families and businesses in Brookings have relied on for decades. I don’t take that lightly — and I can’t wait to welcome you into this next chapter with us.
So here’s my ask: keep placing those rental orders, keep calling us for your event needs, and keep celebrating with us. Hitch Studio is here for your weddings, graduations, anniversaries, fundraisers, holiday parties, and everything in between.
Here’s to celebrating the past 25 years — and dreaming big for the next 25.
With gratitude,
Renee Bauman
CEO, Hitch Studio
