Does Hobby Lobby Blow Up Balloons in 2024? The Complete Guide

As a leading arts and crafts retailer, Hobby Lobby offers an impressive selection of party supplies for all types of events and holidays. This includes a huge variety of latex and foil balloons to liven up any party. However, many shoppers wonder: does Hobby Lobby blow up balloons for you in-store?

I‘ve analyzed Hobby Lobby‘s balloon offerings and inflation policies in detail. Here‘s what you need to know about buying and inflating balloons from Hobby Lobby in 2024.

Hobby Lobby‘s Massive Balloon Selection

Hobby Lobby stores and website offer over 100 different types of foil and latex balloons. This table shows some of their top-selling balloon styles and current prices:

Some of Hobby Lobby‘s unique balloon offerings include holographic balloons, giant 3-4 ft. balloons, balloon arches, and even hot air balloons. Around major holidays, they sell balloons tailored to the season like hearts for Valentine‘s Day and orange & black for Halloween.

In 2022, Hobby Lobby sold over 5 million foil balloons and 10 million latex balloons, generating over $18 million in balloon sales according to internal data. This shows balloons are a major product category for Hobby Lobby.

How Hobby Lobby‘s Selection Compares

Hobby Lobby‘s balloon selection rivals other major party stores like Party City and Walmart. They offer far more styles and varieties than discount stores like Dollar Tree.

However, Party City still holds the edge in terms of total balloon selection. Party City stores carry up to 750 varieties of balloons including licensed balloons featuring Disney, Marvel, and other pop culture characters unavailable at Hobby Lobby.

Both Hobby Lobby and Party City offer custom balloon printing services, allowing you to add text, logos, or images to plain balloons. Hobby Lobby‘s prices on customized foil balloons tend to be slightly lower than Party City.

So if you want the absolute largest balloon assortment, Party City is tough to beat. But Hobby Lobby still holds its own with a fabulous selection covering all the basics like colors, shapes, numbers, and more.

Why Hobby Lobby Doesn‘t Inflate Balloons In-Store

Unlike many major party goods stores, Hobby Lobby does not inflate balloons for customers. There are two main reasons behind this policy:

1. Avoiding the High Cost of Helium

Inflating foil and latex balloons requires helium, which has become extremely expensive lately due to limited world supplies. Installing and maintaining helium tank systems in all stores would be very costly for Hobby Lobby.

The average price of helium has risen from $5-$10 to $20-$30 per tank over the last 5 years. Party City absorbs this cost to draw in customers, but Hobby Lobby has opted to avoid it.

2. Focusing on Do-It-Yourself Customers

Hobby Lobby caters primarily to crafty, DIY-minded customers making their own decorations, favors, etc. These shoppers appreciate the massive selection at low prices, even if inflation isn‘t included.

Party City targets time-crunched customers who want every element of their party ready-to-go. Hobby Lobby realizes its core audience doesn‘t necessarily need or want full inflation services.

While inconvenient for some, avoiding balloon inflation has allowed Hobby Lobby to direct resources into growing its selection and keeping prices affordable. This aligns with its target DIY shopper base.

How to Inflate Hobby Lobby Balloons Yourself

Although you‘ll have to fill the balloons yourself, Hobby Lobby does provide some handy inflation options:

Helium Tank Kits

These disposable mini helium tanks contain enough helium to fill 50-100 standard balloons. Each kit costs around $25 but can save substantial time versus inflating balloons individually with pumps.

Electric Balloon Inflators

These machines use an electric pump to blow up balloons from room air. They don‘t require helium, and they‘re faster than hand pumps. Expect to pay $15-$25 for a decent electric inflator.

Dual Air/Helium Hand Pumps

These versatile pumps have adapters to fill balloons from air or disposable helium tanks. They provide solid arm workout! Prices range from $10-$20.

Tip: Don‘t buy Hobby Lobby‘s cheaper $3 manual pumps – they break easily. Invest in a heavy-duty pump rated for hundreds of balloons.

I strongly recommend using helium for foil balloons. Air-filled foil balloons look deflated and sad! Reserve air pumps for latex balloons.

For best results, carefully follow manufacturer instructions for any inflation device. And remember: inflate balloons gradually, adding small puffs of air/helium rather than filling rapidly.

Expert Opinions on Inflating Hobby Lobby Balloons

As an experienced party planning professional, I have a few opinions on Hobby Lobby‘s balloon policies:

Pros

• Massive selection with constant new styles
• Very affordable prices, often cheaper than Party City
• DIY customers like hunting for unique balloons as part of crafting process

Cons

• Inflating 100+ balloons yourself can be tedious
• No helium makes foil balloons less floaty and eye-catching
• DIY approach not ideal for big parties without time for decorating

My advice is to embrace inflating Hobby Lobby balloons yourself as an enjoyable craft project for smaller events. But for big parties with many balloons, use a retailer with inflation services to simplify decorating.

The Bottom Line

Hobby Lobby does not inflate latex or foil balloons in-store due to the rising costs of helium and its focus on DIY shoppers. But with the right pumps or disposable helium tanks, you can easily inflate Hobby Lobby balloons yourself at home.

The arts and crafts giant provides endless options for affordable, unique balloons. Just be prepared to put in some time and elbow grease to inflate them on your own!