Balloons & Bears vs Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie
Balloons & Bears vs Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie: Balloons & Bears costs $47K to $71K to open; Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie costs $72K to $249K. Balloons & Bears has 5 units, Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie has 20. SBA loan history: Balloons & Bears = 10 loans (50.0% default); Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie = 23 loans (13.0% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Balloons & Bears vs Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Balloons & Bears requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($47K vs $72K for Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie), a 34% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $48K for Balloons & Bears versus $72K for Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie, Balloons & Bears has the lower entry fee.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie operates 20 units to Balloons & Bears's 5, roughly 4× the system size.
SBA Lending Profile
Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 23 7(a) approvals compared with 10 for Balloons & Bears. Balloons & Bears's peak SBA year was 1996 (6 loans); Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie's peak was 1995 (5 loans). Balloons & Bears's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Balloons & Bears has the most SBA funded units in CA, with 4. Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie leads in TX, with 6. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Balloons & Bears deals is $57K vs $173K for Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 50.0% for Balloons & Bears and 13.0% for Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie, Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie has the cleaner SBA loss record by 37.0 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 30 (Fair) for Balloons & Bears and 33 (Fair) for Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie, giving Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 30/100 | 33/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | N/A | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 10 | 23 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 50.0% | 13.0% |
Peer Tier | growing | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $47K to $71K | $72K to $249K |
Franchise Fee | $48K | $72K |
Royalty Rate | N/A | N/A |
Ad Fund | N/A | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 5 | 20 |
Franchised Units | 5 | 20 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | N/A | N/A |
Franchising Since | N/A | N/A |
Years Franchising | N/A | N/A |
Headquarters | PLEASANATON, CA | HOUSTON, TX |
Category | Gift, Novelty, | Gift, Novelty, |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | N/A |
Which Is Better, Balloons & Bears or Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Balloons & Bears: $47K starting · Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie: $72K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie
Balloons & Bears: 10 SBA loans · Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie: 23 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie
Balloons & Bears: 50.0% · Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie: 13.0%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Balloons & Bears: 5 units · Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie: 20 units
More lender financing options
Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie
Balloons & Bears: 6 unique lenders · Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie: 19 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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About These Franchises
Balloons & Bears vs Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Balloons & Bears and Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $47K to $249K.
Balloons & Bears has 10 SBA loans on record and Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie has 23. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Balloons & Bears vs Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Balloons & Bears or Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie?
How much does a Balloons & Bears franchise cost compared to Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie?
Can I finance Balloons & Bears or Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Balloons & Bears or Paper Warehouse (Party Supplie?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
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