Petty’s Hallmark Shop of Jonesboro Closing

Petty’s Hallmark Shop of Jonesboro announced May 18 it was closing after 26 years.

“Unfortunately, combined with the slow economy and the decision some years ago by Hallmark to no longer sell its cards and other products exclusively in Hallmark stores, habits of shoppers have changed dramatically,” Gwyn Brunkhorst, the store’s owner, said in a May 18 advertisement in The Jonesboro Sun. “Consequently, our sales volume has dropped sharply during the past five years.”

Brunkhorst couldn’t be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Hallmark Cards Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., said Hallmark has sold its cards in grocery stores for more than 20 years. But the Hallmark stores have the best selection of Hallmark products, said Linda Odell, a Hallmark spokesman.

"Specialty retailing has had a difficult time, in general, not just Hallmark stores … since 2008," she said.

Petty’s Hallmark was in The Mall at Turtle Creek in Jonesboro.

Another owner of a licensed Hallmark dealer said sales had been flat or down at her Batesville Hallmark store since 2008. Among the reasons was Hallmark’s decision to sell some of its cards and products in grocery stores, said Jo Cargill, the owner of Carlee’s Crown Shop in Batesville. “So, yes, I do think it has hurt us,” she said.