Champion Party Supply (formerly Champion Display and Costume) was founded in 1936 in downtown Seattle at the 1417 4th Avenue building by my grandfather Robert Champion, making Champion Party Supply the second oldest party store in the country. He started out as a sign making and retail display business that eventually expanded to include costumes and makeup to cater to the vaudeville performers in the market and in downtown. In 1950 he purchased and moved the business to a building in the Pike Place Market where we then began transitioning out of the retail signage and displays business and into the party and costume industry. Champion’s remained at their Pike Place Market location for 43 years before my parents moved us to our iconic 1st and Denny location right under the Space Needle in 1993 where we remained for 22 years. Eventually our lower Queen Anne building was slated for demolition to make way for new apartments, like so many Seattle institutions had succumbed to, but we refused to go down with it. In 2015 I purchased the company and moved us to our current location on Elliott AVE W in Interbay, where I have served as third-generation owner for the past 5 years. Today you can still visit “The Champion Building” on Pike Place as it’s considered a historic landmark and you can visit our business where my grandfather’s old signage can still be marveled at. I’m so proud to continue his legacy and to help Seattle party for the past 84 years!
