Everybody knows how gawdawful things are for magazines and newspapers…
Not to mention what online shopping’s been doing to retailers and shopping malls.
It ain’t pretty, right?
Hey, before long we’re all gonna to have to take Joe Biden‘s advice and get in line with the coal miners and learn how to code.
Count Hallmark Cards among the industries struggling to remain relevant.
I spoke at length recently to a dude who “retired” this past year from Hallmark’s Lawrence operation and he did not paint a pretty picture.
Here’s the deal…
Because Hallmark’s a private company they don’t have to disclose their revenues, – kinda like Donald Trump doesn’t have to release his tax returns. But behind the scenes – according to my source – the company’s been on a downhill slide for 10 years.
Sound familiar? Kinda like the Kansas City Star.
By the time this 14-year Hallmark veteran left last year, business had dropped off dramatically, he says. When he started, it was not unusual for the company to do print runs in the tens of thousand for each card.
These days you’re more likely to see smaller runs of 1,500 to 2,000 cards, he says.
On top of which, the competition – and there’s plenty – is eating Hallmark alive, he adds – from American Greetings on down.
One perceived problem: While there have been tons of layoffs the past several years, Hallmark is still loaded (and thus bogged down) with incompetent managers that are schmoozed in with the higher ups. Making for inefficiencies and moral issues, the source says.
And now this just in…
Hallmark just announced that the company will layoff another 400 staffers, mostly from Kansas City, as the company undergoes a what they’re spinning as a “wider transformation.”
The bottom line:
Unlike days gone by, people today just don’t buy that many greeting cards…if any.
Kinda like they no longer purchase weekly news magazines like they once did.
Which accounts for Newsweek being sold for a measly buck 10 years back.
The print version of the magazine then went away entirely on July 25th 2012.
But hold it right there…
Hallmark Cards isn’t just any company, it’s a Kansas City institution.
And those kinda companies don’t grow on trees – not around these parts.
Two years ago Southern Living Magazine pegged greeting card industry sales in this country at $7.5 billion annually.
Seriously though, how would they know?
If it’s true though, it seems clear that Hallmark appears to be losing market share.
Wonder if local Hall family members can learn to code…
When you business model drops by 80% you’ve clearly failed in the “adapt or die” category. It’s really scary times for Hallmark in KC if they truly did lay off 15% of their workforce here. I guess there’s a shorter line for coffee in the break room, so that’s a plus. I’m also thinkin’ that if you’re only printing a couple thousand for each card you’re going to continue to hemorrhage money – things prolly ain’t gonna get better. Hopefully the insider ex-Hallmark dood got a decent buyout or at least a case of scotch to drown his sorrows.
I’m so glad I don’t work for corporate America – soulless.
Actually, he’s already retired after 26 years at the ammunition dump Desoto and with 14 years at Hallmark tapped out for health reasons one year shy of qualifying for a pension there, so…
When I first learned about Blue Mountain, I knew Hallmark was dead.
Great book about all that!
And Kansas City had it’s own Hallmark anti Christ for years at 50th and Main
Here’s something interesting: Glazer’s still furnished Fairway Condo is for auction”Pre-Foreclosure”. If you look do a search for youtube videos of Craig you’ll recognize it’s the same white furniture, dining table, and even the pictures on the wall are still there. Now we all can see all the rooms and the furniture our dearly departed scribe once owned. Heck, it can be yours for $360,000!
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3938-Shawnee-Mission-Pkwy-2-Fairway-KS-66205/75537803_zpid/?mmlb=g,0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWU6dUGKm0&feature=emb_logo
Good eye, I Don’t…
Knew he was way behind in his condo payments and my understanding was that he fled after basically being or in anticipation of being evicted.
Not only was he on his last legs health wise, he was on his last legs financially.
Sad deal…
Guess everything got tied up legally after he died.
Having been in there, I can kinda tell you there was next to nothing much worth having other than for sentimental value
Yeah Craig’s last 6 months on this earth was one bomb after another: 1. His brother died 2. Craig got sick 3. His comedy club shut down 4. He tried to avoid eviction by auctioning off his estranged dad’s stuff. 5. He still got evicted. 6. He hightailed it to a basic apartment. 7. He made his final taxi ride memorable. 8. Craig passed away Aug 15, exactly FIVE YEAR to the day another KC figure died(MM’s death went infamously viral!).
Close but…
Actually, it was his dad who auctioned off his stuff after moving to Florida…including pics of his deceased sons!~