If you’ve rented a table from Party Rental Ltd., peeked underneath and saw an etching of “PRL617”, have you ever wondered what it meant? Well, 6/17 is simply Michael Halperin’s birthday! Almost 30 years ago when we began identifying our products, Michael said, “Why not PRL617?” and the rest is history. This year Michael will be celebrating his 80th birthday on 6/17. Let’s take a peek back over the last 80 years.
Michael grew up in Englewood, NJ where his family (including his older and younger brother) all eventually entered the family vending business which had been started in Jersey City in the mid-1960’s.
Michael was always a fairly independent child and didn’t enjoy working with family, nor did he really enjoy vending! Growing up, he had some odd jobs around town; he worked in a bowling alley setting pins, he delivered newspapers and eventually collected money from vending machines for his father’s company, Jersey Amusement.
After college Michael worked a stint at Restaurant Associates and he enjoyed the food business but like his father, he knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur. Michael married in 1966 and by 1972 Sunny encouraged Michael to go out on his own. Not really knowing what he wanted to do, he looked in the Yellow Pages and came across five rental companies, he called all 5 and asked them if they wanted to sell, and to his surprise 3 of them said yes!
Michael officially left the family vending business and along with Sunny began a new venture renting glassware, chairs and tables. The business started small, one van for deliveries and a few racks of glassware – that was it. But Michael was a visionary and this was just the beginning. By 1976, they started renting tents, by 1979, table linens and by 1980 they made their way into New York City where they met Donald Bruce White, who really deserves credit for starting the catering industry in New York City in the 1970’s.
Michael recalls, “I got lucky – I went into the city with my suitcase to meet with Donald Bruce White, and he told me he already had vendors he worked with. I opened the suitcase, he saw what was inside, and he said – ‘Where have you been?’” This was the break Michael and Sunny needed.
While Sunny ran the operations of the business, Michael made his way around New York City wowing people with his famous suitcase. Michael had the vision and Sunny made it happen.
By 1982, Michael realized his passion for food still existed and although he liked selling rentals, he wanted to explore the food world. He purchased a local take out restaurant called Komsa Farms and ran that business successfully from 1981 to 1985. He ventured from Komsa to Chicken Out in 1984 and ran that business until it “literally burned to the ground” in 1989.
Michael enjoyed his time as an entrepreneur in the food world, but while he was away, Party Rental Ltd. was growing at a spectacular pace throughout the 1980’s. With his vision, he was involved with new product development and sales, and really knew what the market needed. Michael and Sunny were a great team and developed a business with core values that still remain strong today.
Michael and Sunny with Chris Lavarco (center) and Rose Rabin (right)
Michael who is now turning 80, retired nearly a decade before but by no means has he slowed down – if anything he has geared up. Living in NYC, he spends most of his days in Central Park biking and hiking. When he’s not in the park, he’s practicing for his triathlons by swimming and running. Yes at 80 years old, he plans on doing another mini-triathlon this summer with the support of his children and grandchildren.
Michael is a “real New Yorker” and he loves the theater; he’s already seen Hadestown twice this year, and he loves the food scene. If you are out and about in New York’s Upper West Side, chances are you’ll find Michael dining out 7 nights a week.
Michael’s favorite hobby though is still “Hippo Spotting” – as each truck passes by he smiles and reflects on the past 50 years of true success.