Greetings- Hallmark Is back

Hallmark cards were originally named after the company's founder, Joyce Hall, in 1910 — and now they are back on the Rock.

"We've got over 600 different Christmas card designs alone," said Stephanie Lima-Hinchliffe, who has taken over the distribution of Hallmark products in Gibraltar.

The shop is in the same place as the previous Hallmark premises at John Mackintosh Square, which is not only as central as you can get but means you don't have to remember where it is.

Stephanie told me that as well as cards for every social situation, there are also such things as party invitations, wedding stationery,gift wrapping paper — and soft toys.

The toys at the moment are the Forever Friends range, which is Hallmark's own famous brand of teddy bears. In future Stephanie hopes to have a good choice of small stocking filling toys and small games as well.

"At the moment," she said,"we are selling mainly Hallmark prod ucts, which are very timely with Christmas just around the corner. Soon we will be adding a range of party table wear — things such as cups, paper plates and themed paper products for both children and adults, in fact everything to make parties go with a swing. We will also have new lines and stock arriving throughout the year and will be catering for every season and special day with the latest lines and fashions as well as some newinnovative ideas and products for the Rock,"

Apparently Hallmark does not insist that their retailers stock solely Hallmark goods so Stephanie will be adding other makes to the shop's attractions.

"But," she emphasised, "every thing we introduce will be up to the same high quality standards of Hallmark and will, where pos sible, be the latest things available to consumers."

She told me that Hallmark has been very helpful, and even sent one of their men over last month to help set the shop up, "Their support and infrastructure is the market leader and it is great to have thatsupport and expertise on hand," she said.

The shop has been totally mod ernised and revamped. Stephanie has made some worthwhile im provements, which give the shop a cleaner less cluttered look."We've made the aisles wider, which is not only more comfortable for shop- hcMHIeinside 019 d r pers but also means pushchairs and wheelchairs can fit in effortlessly."

She also told me that the shop front now has double doors to allow easy access for wheelchair users, If only everyone thought like that.

Stephanie is also working on an innovation, to be introduced next year — individually-designed bespoke wedding stationery."Weddings are so important to people in Gibraltar," she said."So we'll soon be able to produce special designs according to individual tastes. Most weddings are in the spring and summer, so we're hoping to have that service up and running by then."

Missouri, and is the largest manu facturer of greeting cards in the United States. Approximately 50% of greeting cards sent in the United States every year are manufactured by Hallmark. The cards and other products are translated into more than 30 languages and are popular in over 100 countries

When young Mr Joyce Hall started in 1910 at the age of 18, he was simply selling postcards, but by 1915 the company was known as Hall Brothers and had added Valentine's Day and Christmas cards to its lines. Then, in 1917, Hall and his brother Rollic invented modern gift wrapping paper when they ran out of traditional colored tissue paper.

In 1928, the company adopted the name "Hallmark", after the hallmark symbol of quality used by goldsmiths in London from the 14th century on,and began printing the name on the back of every card and promoting it in advertising campaigns,a practice the company continues to the present day.

And it was in 1944 that it adopted its current slogan,"When you care enough to send the very best," which was created by a salesman at a meeting. The cocktail napkin on which it was originally handwritten is on display at the company head quarters. in 1951, Hall sponsored a television program for NBC that gave rise to the Hallmark Hall of Fame, which has won 78 Emmy Awards.

It wasn't until 1954 that the com pany name waschanged from Hall Brothers to Hallmark.

Hallmark's greetings business now has 18,000 employees in the US, of which no less than 800 are designers artists, stylists, writ ers, editors and photographers. Together they generate more than 19,000 new and redesigned greeting cards and related products per year. The company has more than 48,000 products in its model line at any one time, which should be enough for anyone

A major success story. Hallmark Cards is a privately owned Ameri can company based in Kansas City,

So, now you know the back ground as well as the foreground. The new bright and airy Hallmark shop is unmissable in John Mackin tosh Square;and is open from 10am to6pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.The telephone number for any enquiry is 79500 or you can email to stelagreet® gibtelecom.net