If you’ve heard your local Hallmark store is closing, you might think that’s the end for Hallmark altogether. But the truth is a lot less dramatic than some headlines or Facebook posts suggest.
Yes, you might see some empty storefronts with the Hallmark Gold Crown sign coming down. But Hallmark—the company itself—is still around, selling greeting cards, ornaments, and gifts just like it’s done for decades.
Let’s walk through what’s really going on. There’s more nuance than a simple yes or no answer.
Hallmark’s Business Structure: Company vs. Stores
First, it helps to understand how Hallmark works. Hallmark Cards, Inc. is the big parent company. They make greeting cards, paper goods, ornaments, and other gift items you find both in stores and online.
But those Hallmark Gold Crown stores you see at the mall or next to the grocery store? About 85% of those are owned and run independently. Local business folks use the Hallmark name through a franchise or licensing deal. These owners buy merchandise from Hallmark and run their shops kind of like you see with Subway or UPS stores.
This setup means if an individual Hallmark store shuts down, it doesn’t mean the bigger Hallmark company is going down with it. You might notice some shops vanish from your area, but the cards and gifts still get made and sold by Hallmark.
What’s Happening With Hallmark Stores?
Over the last few years, some Hallmark stores—especially franchise locations—have closed. A big reason is changing shopping habits. More folks shop online now. Fewer people send paper cards compared to twenty or even ten years ago. The greeting card industry isn’t completely disappearing, but it’s definitely not growing in the way it once did.
Then, there’s what happened with Banner’s Hallmark. That’s a separate company that ran about 40 franchised Hallmark stores, mostly in the US Midwest and South. Early in 2024, Banner’s Hallmark filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It was struggling with debt and low sales, so they closed some locations and tried to restructure.
When you hear about “Hallmark stores closing,” this is often what’s going on—local, independently operated stores making tough business decisions, or a franchise group like Banner’s facing bankruptcy. It hits hard for the people who love those neighborhood card shops. But it still isn’t the same thing as Hallmark Cards, Inc. shutting down for good.
COVID-19 and Temporary Store Closures
Like almost every retailer, Hallmark took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start, there were news stories about company-owned Hallmark Gold Crown stores shutting their doors temporarily for health and safety reasons. That was in 2020, when nobody really knew how long the pandemic disruptions would last.
Some of those company stores reopened later. But, as with other businesses, a few locations never came back. The pandemic made online shopping jump even faster, pushing retailers—including card shops—to rethink how they do business. Hallmark’s corporate office said independent store owners made their own decisions about whether to reopen.
So if you noticed your nearby Hallmark shop didn’t survive the shutdowns of 2020, you’re not alone. The company itself, though, still operates a good number of stores (in person and online), and it’s kept moving forward.
Hallmark’s Core Business Remains Strong
It’s easy to forget that Hallmark Cards, Inc. isn’t just a collection of brick-and-mortar stores. Most of its business comes from selling cards, wrapping paper, party supplies, and other products to stores all across the country—including big chains like Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, and even grocery stores.
So even if every single Hallmark-branded store closed, you’d still find their cards and gifts nearly everywhere you shop. Plus, Hallmark has built a nice side business with their yearly line of Christmas ornaments, which people collect like baseball cards.
And don’t overlook the Hallmark Channel. Yes, it’s part of the same company. Their sappy TV movies became a phenomenon and now reach millions of viewers, helping keep the Hallmark brand relevant well beyond paper cards.
Crucially, Hallmark is a privately-held, family-owned business. The Hall family has run the company since it started in Kansas City more than a century ago. They don’t have the same short-term profit pressures as public companies. That gives them some cushion to ride out rough years and pivot when shopping habits change.
Why Are Hallmark Stores Closing?
The answer, most of the time, is pretty simple: running a small retail store is tough right now. Rising rents, fewer shoppers in malls, and competition from Amazon make the math harder and harder for smaller franchise owners.
And tastes have changed. People still like sending cards, but not nearly as many do it as in the 1980s or 1990s. Birthdays and anniversaries now often get celebrated by text or through social media. When people do buy cards, it’s just as likely to be while they’re at the grocery store grabbing eggs and milk.
The pandemic accelerated the shift. In some towns, franchisees decided the risk and expense of reopening just didn’t pencil out. Others tried switching to smaller stores or focusing online.
Even so, some Hallmark Gold Crown stores are still around. In cities and suburbs where there are enough loyal shoppers, you’ll see them thriving—especially during the holidays, when lots of people stock up on cards or those keepsake ornaments.
The Difference Between Franchise and Corporate Locations
It’s worth being clear: Hallmark Cards, Inc. directly owns and manages a smaller chunk of stores—these are called “corporate” Hallmark Gold Crown shops. But the big majority are franchises, with individual owners.
So, if you hear about a batch of Hallmark store closures, it’s most often a franchise group making that decision, not Hallmark itself shutting down its own company stores.
Banner’s Hallmark was one such case. When they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it didn’t affect the core Hallmark business—it just meant that a set of local stores would close or change owners.
That’s also why some Gold Crown shops survived even as others in the same region closed—the independent structure gave flexibility, for better or worse.
What You’ll Still See from Hallmark
Even with the shakeups in retail, Hallmark isn’t going anywhere soon. You keep seeing their displays in drugstores, supermarkets, and even bookstores. Their online shop is up and running, too. The company continues launching new card lines, holiday products, and that endlessly popular holiday movie slate.
Hallmark, as a brand and a business, has managed to hold on while other iconic names have disappeared. Their blend of greeting cards, gifts, keepsakes, and media gives them more levers to pull than many small specialty retailers have.
The family ownership helps, too. Without big Wall Street shareholders demanding an endless climb in quarterly profits, Hallmark can focus on staying steady, experimenting thoughtfully, and keeping their place in American pop culture.
If you’re curious about what’s happening with brick-and-mortar retail, or how other companies are adapting, you might find some good stories at Click Business Mag, where smart folks track industry shifts and retail trends like this.
The Bottom Line: Hallmark Isn’t Going Out of Business
To sum it all up, some Hallmark-branded stores are closing, especially those hit hardest by changing shopping habits or tough business conditions. A few franchise groups, like Banner’s Hallmark, have had to shut doors or declare bankruptcy. This stings at the local level, especially for longtime fans.
But here’s the key thing: Hallmark Cards, Inc. is not going out of business. The company itself remains healthy, making cards, gifts, and ornaments, and serving up cozy TV movies that lots of people love. Even if a favorite local shop disappears, those red crown logos will still pop up at tons of other places—and online.
So while you might need to shop somewhere else for your next birthday or holiday card, Hallmark the brand and business aren’t fading away. They’re just evolving with the times, like so many companies have to. For now, Hallmark is here to stay.
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