A new party store will be opening in Normandy Park this Saturday, Aug. 21st – A Perfect Party – in the location that formerly housed Manhattan Drug at 17833 1st Ave South.

The party will go from 11am – 3pm, and to make it “perfect,” there will also be food, including grilled hotdogs, chips, sodas, popcorn and candy. There will also be a DJ, face painting, pictures with cartoon and animal characters and prizes, with the grand prize being a costume rental for two.

“We’re pretty excited about the event,” said Bonnie Barasch, co-owner of A Perfect Party. Barasch, her husband Nick and their partner, Kathy Lucas, moved the business to its new location in July. “It’s going to be a pretty big deal, with all kinds of fun planned”.

“We were previously located in a warehouse in Renton and we are really excited about our move to the Manhattan Village Shopping Center in Normandy Park. The community has given us a warm welcome.” said Nick. “We think having a party is a great way to kick off our grand opening.”

A Perfect Party is located at 17833 1st Ave South in Normandy Park, in the Manhattan Village Shopping Center, and specializes in party supplies, balloons, costume sales and rentals and costume accessories such as wigs and theatrical make-up.

For more information about the store, visit their website at www.perfectpartycostumes.com.

Normandy Park Blog advertiser Lavina Mays Garden, Gift and Home Decor is having their Grand Opening Event this Friday and Saturday, July 30 and 31 from 9am to 6pm. There will be drawings daily for gifts and a Grand Prize drawing Saturday for 2 Mariners tickets.

Lavina Mays is located at 17824 1st Ave South Suite 103, next to Curves. Lavina Mays brings back a Garden and Gift shop to the area that has been without one since Five Corners Garden Center closed many years ago. The store carries an assortment of outdoor and indoor plants, Eco friendly gardening products, cards, gifts and a big selection of home decor items.

Highline Public Schools will be holding a special grand opening celebration for the recently-rebuilt Marvista Elementary School on Thursday, Sept. 24th, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

There will be a short program beginning at 5:45pm, with tours and dinner following; all are invited.

Marvista welcomed its 550 students to their new building on the first day of school on Wednesday, Sept. 9th. The main components of the building – classrooms, lunchroom, and common areas – were completed on time and on budget. Finishing touches, such as landscaping and playfields, will be completed in the next few weeks.

“Our students and staff are so excited about the new building,” said Principal Rebekah Kim. “It provides space for great learning opportunities and for our community to gather – with the school as the centerpiece.”

Marvista, located in Normandy Park, is the twelfth new school to be completed in Highline since 2004. The construction projects have been financed by bonds approved by voters in 2002 and 2006. Prior to 2002, no school construction bond had been approved since 1986. During that 16-year period, the district was unable to replace aging buildings.

“We had a long list of old and outdated schools that needed to be replaced,” said Superintendent John Welch. “We are grateful that the community saw that need and approved the funding to allow us to build schools that are safer and provide the current technology our students need to compete in today’s world.”

Marvista is located at 19800 Marine View Drive SW in Normandy Park.