NEWS
Ex Celebrations manager
Elvin on
reopens Gloucester store
Eastenders
Simon Elvin had a nice Mother’s
Despite the downturn, a former Celebrations Day boost on “Eastenders”
store manager has reopened his old unit when ‘Lauren@ gave her Mum,
in Gloucester and has already beaten his Tanya Branning, a ‘Fab Mum’ handmade Mother’s Day card, that filled
previous sales figures. the screen for a few seconds!
Dave Jones, from Abbeymead has not only
renamed the former Card Warehouse shop in
The Mall, Gloucester as Greetings Galore, but
also re-employed four former staff members.
Card
Despite having two Clinton Cards nearby
and a Card Factory, Jones is undaunted and
Factory
business is doing so well the 48-year-old is
planning to open his second store near Bristol in April.
When contacted by GT, Jones was keen to point out that his new store had
adds
outperformed his former unit on the same day as last year.
“We’ve got tough competition,” he said. “But I think it’s the best unit in terms of
six new
footfall.”
Jones negotiated the lease through Celebrations’ former property chief, Mike stores
Fullerton and is talking to another landlord about an additional Card Warehouse
Greetings card retailer Card
near Bristol, which would also be staffed by former Celebrations’ personnel from
Factory has added six stores to
Cheltenham.
its portfolio, bringing its count
Jone’s was coy about the cost of his lease in Gloucester other than to say he was
to 486.
“very pleased with the deal.”
Card Factory has signed
Jones worked for Celebrations for a year and previous to that was with Clinton
for units in Portsmouth and
Cards for three years.
Winchester in Hampshire, Truro and Redruth in Cornwall, and Plympton
“I saw this as a prime opportunity. The four members of staff in Gloucester are
and Teignmouth in Devon.
delighted because, like me, they were going around hunting for a job.
The signings add around 14,000 sq ft (1,300 sq m) of space. The
“It is exciting to plan a business and there are lots of things I have had to learn. But
largest of new additions is Portsmouth, where the retailer has taken a
it has been very enjoyable and rewarding.”
3,400 sq ft (315 sq m) unit.
Neil Draper, general manager of The Mall, said: “We are delighted that what was
In December last year Card Factory bought 76 of stores made
an unfortunate story about the closure of Card Warehouse at The Mall in January has
available when competitor Celebrations fell into administration.
turned out so positively.
“We look forward to sharing in their success and working alongside them in the
months and years ahead.”
Free parking at
UK nominations for Louies
Spring Fair
Emap Connect. Organisers of Spring Fair
UK publishers, Santoro and Second
International (SFI), has confirmed that car
Nature have been nominated for awards
parking at the show will remain free for future
in the annual Louie Awards organised
shows.
by the American Greetings Card
“It was clearly a mistake,” said new MD of
Association.
SFI, Louise Young, referring to the attempt to
Santoro has been nominated in the
introduce parking fees at the show in March
Blank category for cards costing over
this year. “We clearly underestimated the importance of free parking at
$3, while Second Nature is in the Special
SFI, which is why we worked so closely with the NEC to offer free parking
Occasion – Everyday category and
at this year’s show.
Thank You, both above $3.
‘At Emap we’ve spent thousands on visitor research but found that
The winner in every category will
the issue of parking didn’t rate highly on people’s agenda’s – probably
be revealed on Monday, May 18, 2009
because it had always been there. But clearly free parking is imperative
during the National Stationery Show® in New York City. Capping off the Awards
at SFI.”
evening will be the announcement of two Cards of the Year winners – one to be
Young also confirmed that Emap had paid the costs of providing free
presented in each of the competition’s two price divisions (Above $3 and $3 & Below).
parking in March to the tune of £190,000.
The competition drew over 800 entries in 58 categories from nearly 140 US and
The issue of car parking fees for SFI was raised when Emap
international publishing companies, including those in Brazil, Canada, England and
renegotiated its tenancy contract with NEC. Other exhibitions at the
India. All entries were marketed and sold in the US during 2008. The awards are
Birmingham site routinely charge for parking to cover maintenance and
named after German lithographer Louis Prang, who is credited with the birth of the US
service costs and it was felt the time was right for Spring Fair to fall into
card industry in the 1870’s.
line.
However, protests from exhibitors and visitors alike forced the u-turn.
Greetings Today 9
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