The Party Never Stops

With deep ties to Mardi Gras, the family-owned-and-operated party supply store Plush Appeal, LLC is passionate about helping clients celebrate everyday moments all year round.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2025 / When Alyssa Fletchinger Higgins' father founded Plush Appeal, LLC 36 years ago, she was just a child who loved Mardi Gras. "When I was a baby, we lived around the corner from where the bands lined up for parades," she says. "My father would sneak me out of my crib, even in cold weather, and we would watch the parades together."

Turns out, fun runs in the family. Prior to founding Plush Appeal, Fletchinger Higgins' father sold stuffed animals and prizes to amusement operators, eventually revolutionizing claw machines by stocking them with an assortment of plush animals instead of just one kind. Before long, he was selling custom-sorted toy mixes to parades as well.

"Eventually, his business expanded to include beads and costumes too," says Fletchinger Higgins. Following in her father's footsteps, Fletchinger Higgins revolutionized the industry once more when Plush Appeal began offering customized promotional and Mardi Gras products.

No longer a child, Fletchinger Higgins now serves as vice president of the family business and continues to be amazed at Plush Appeal's continued growth. The company has expanded to sell party supplies and custom items for every celebration imaginable, from Mardi Gras to birthday parties, Valentine's Day, weddings, and more.

Mardi Gras and More

Plush Appeal's 3.5-acre facility, including Mardi Gras Spot, is based in New Orleans, but the business serves clients nationwide. The store carries a wide variety of merchandise, from apparel and accessories to costume jewelry, bouncy balls, rubber ducks and chickens, magic wands, games, hair accessories, shoes, and, of course, stuffed animals, to name just a few. "There's something for everybody here, and all items can be shipped to your destination," says Fletchinger Higgins.

That includes the store's massive array of customizable items, which range from whoopee cushions and bobbleheads to beads, koozies, porcelain boxes, and even painted coconuts. Thanks to an army of sales personnel and artists who help develop and design custom products, "If you dream it, we can make it," says Fletchinger Higgins.

Plush Appeal's long-tenured team functions like a well-oiled machine, manufacturing over 10,000 custom products in 2024 alone. "We go to great lengths to provide customers what they need and get it done on time," she says.

The team is also focused on product longevity and sustainability, Fletchinger Higgins says, noting that "Even after Mardi Gras, people still use things they catch at parades. It's not every day you catch squawking chickens or squealing pigs."

With that in mind, Plush Appeal has begun selling stuffed toys made from recycled materials as well as reusable snack bags and beeswax wrap for king cakes, all of which can be used for years to come. "We've been focused on expanding our current product lines and offering more variety for different events," Fletchinger Higgins adds.

In the end, Plush Appeal's mission is to help people celebrate life's moments, big and small, every day. Fletchinger Higgins concludes, "We've turned Mardi Gras into a year-round celebration. We bring fun and festivity into every occasion for our customers."

Contact Information

SOURCE: Plush Appeal, LLC