by We went to the Hallmark Visitors Center in Kansas City, Missouri because that’s how we roll.
It’s located on Hallmark’s corporate campus. The visit includes watching a film, and making your way through exhibits on the history of the card company and the many areas they branched out into, including gift wrap, ornaments, movies, and acquiring Crayola.
What’s missing is a proper gift shop! They had a super tiny one, when I expected one the size of Texas. We were slightly disappointed – we weren’t even able to buy Mother’s Day cards!
The history of the company goes back to 1910, when 18-year-old Joyce C. Hall (1891-1982) arrived in Kansas City from Nebraska with two shoeboxes full of picture postcards he intended to sell.
He had quick success, and soon his brother Rollie joined him, naming their business Hall Brothers.
The brothers realized that people desired more privacy than afforded by a postcard, so they started selling quality Valentine’s Day and Christmas cards that included envelopes. By 1915 they had their own printing press and were producing their own cards.
The brothers had entrepreneurial and innovative spirits, and by 1917 they had “invented” modern gift wrapping when they ran out of the traditional solid-colored papers. The improvised with some French envelope lining that was fancily decorated, and it was a hit! They were soon printing their own gift wrap.
In 1928, the company began marking the back of their cards “Hallmark”, a nod to the goldsmith’s mark of quality that also incorporated the brothers’ last name.
The company name was not officially changed, however, until 1954.
Other company highlights include:
- In 1929, the company created display racks for their greeting cards, which had previously been sold out of shop drawers. This allowed for customers to more easily read and see them, as we are familiar with today.
- In 1932, Hallmark signed its first licensing agreement with none other than Walt Disney.
- In 1944 Hallmark first used what has since become one of the most recognized marketing slogans in advertising: “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best.”
- In 1951 they sponsored an opera on television on Christmas Eve, the start of what would eventually become the Hallmark Hall of Fame series. Since then, these productions have won more than 80 Emmy Awards.
- 1973 saw the introduction of Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, which started people collecting ornaments.
- Hallmark acquired the maker of Crayola crayons in 1984.
- In 1986 the Hallmark Gold Crown store became a thing, when formerly independently operated retailers were brought together under one network.
- 2001 saw the launch of the Hallmark Channel, which features just a couple of plot lines repurposed into hundreds of movies.
A bow-making machine! Yes I took one. Then one for Doug. Even though we live in a van.
