New Jersey is one of the last places in the country where the phrases "party boss" and "political machine" don't just harken back to a bygone era, but describe a present-day reality.

Party City has more than 50 stores in the region — 25 in New Jersey, 26 in Pennsylvania and two in Delaware — all of which will close for good over the next several weeks.

New Jersey-based Party City is going out of business after the retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing was done in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.