PEABODY — Business owners of all stripes have been hit hard by the COVID-19 virus and the restrictions that have resulted from it.
Saugus native Mike Gallant was among those who felt the sting. But Gallant, 43, has always had an entrepreneurial side to him. The owner of the Oceanview in Nahant, Gallant is also the “Chief Fun Officer” of Perfect Parties USA in Peabody.
“We provide games and amusements for corporate, college and municipal clients,” said Gallant. “That could be anything from rock walls, arcade game rentals, casino party rentals and photo programs. We also represent about 100 performers and shows, like magicians, illusionists, and other unique acts.”
Of course, none of the aforementioned ventures are getting much traction these days, with social distancing being the operative term. So Gallant and Perfect Parties came up with a business idea to fill the vacuum created by the lack of public graduation ceremonies, proms, and other celebratory aspects for high school seniors.
It’s called “A Night to Remember,” and it’s an idea borne out of necessity.
“In the spring,” he said, “we do a lot of high school stuff. I have schools I’ve worked with for 15 years — post-prom parties and overnights. Usually, they follow an event where the kids just go to a gym, or on the Spirit of Boston (harbor cruise boat). They’re the types of things parents like because they keep kids off the streets.”
Gallant’s ‘A Night to Remember” was also inspired by conversations he’s had with representatives from schools who told him how “disruptive all of this has been for the kids. A lot of kids in the public schools have been going to school together since the first grade. This is the culmination of everything they’ve done for 12 years, of all their goodbyes and friendships. I talked with some families about how none of these kids will be able to say ‘goodbye’ to all their friends.”
Perfect Parties devised a plan where students would show up at a parking lot and never leave their cars. Once there, they are given a set of instructions for the use of a large, drive-in style movie screen. Through a link, students can upload any picture they want to be shown on the screen, “which would create a tribute-style slide show. They could use pictures from sports, drama engagements, junior prom, whatever they may be.”
The screen, Gallant said “is about as big as a movie screen. We supply the projector and the transmitting equipment, and the students can set their car radios to a frequency where we play music appropriate to the slide show that is unfolding.”
When it’s over, Perfect Parties will provide a link that will allow the students to download the pictures that were shared during the slide show.
“It would almost serve the purpose of a virtual yearbook,” Gallant said.
But what happens to people who might want to pull a fast one and slip in a photo that might not be appropriate for public viewing?
“We review them before they’re put up on the screen,” said Gallant. “And we know who’s sending them. That creates a little accountability.”
Gallant hopes this provides closure for the students. He feels it serves two purposes.
“It’s a big answer from a high school viewpoint,” he said, “and from a business standpoint, we were forced to reinvent.”
