Hallmark to close at Ansley Mall after 21 years

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Owner hopes to relocate

Hallmark Cards will close their Ansley Mall Location.

Prakash Morjaria, owner and franchisee of the greeting card retailer located at 1544 Piedmont Ave NE, confirmed Hallmark will close at the end of February.

In 2008, rent increased drastically at Ansley Mall, according to Morjaria, who said at $28 to $30 a square foot, the overhead costs of running a shop like Hallmark just didn’t make sense.

The lease on the space expires on March 31, but Morjaria told us he would close up shop early to cut his loses.

Hallmark Hall of Cards at Ansley Mall first opened in 1990. Morjaria plans on reopening under an affordable lease elsewhere.

“We would like to be within the perimeter but I have yet to get a lease in my hand.”

Morjaria’s main priority in opening a new location is to be within proximity of the existing, for his customer’s sake.

“I’ve never seen men cry before but they’ve some in crying after hearing the store would close. They’re like family and the reason I want to stay in the retail business.”

Which brings up an interesting point: what kind of card do you get for someone who’s losing their business?

Hallmark Hall of Cards
1544 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30324

(H/T to Joe Morris with ATLHistory.com for the tip)

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

16 Responses

  1. Why in the world would Ansley Mall (or any other property) be raising rents during this recession? Perhaps they really do have a death wish…

  2. Have you been by Ansley Mall lately? I’m sure they can raise their rent as much as they like. I fully expect this space to be leased within a month of the Hallmark store closing.

  3. I actually hope this is foreshadowing for Ansley Mall’s future. I think it’s an eyesore and a pain in the butt to navigate. It could be redeveloped into something much more beneficial to the area. Isn’t that the Beltline that runs behind it, facing Ansley Mall’s unattractive backside? Lots of potential for improvement here.

  4. Well, they had to finance the remodel, and once it’s done they hope to get a slew of new tenants similar to either Virginia Highlands or Edgewood, to replace those that can’t afford the rent. With outdated stores like a card store (Kroger and Publix are next door), Blockbuster (Redbox at Kroger, Blockbuster Express at Publix), these are stores that are closing everywhere unless they’re high volume. Example: Borders, TGI Fridays, etc. And places that are just like everywhere else, that don’t stand out in service or quality, or are too expensive. Restoration Hardware, Craft, Circuit City, Linens ‘n’ Things, etc.

  5. Hallmark @Ansley will truly be missed. More than just a simple Hallmark, this one took an active interest in it’s customers and offered products that were brought in locally. A strong effort was made by the employees these past few years to increase sales… 21 years is a good run, I hope they relocate close by.

  6. Why the hell is a cardstore “outdated”? Maybe I am old-fashioned, but I still think things like birthday cards and thank you notes are still appropriate and appreciated in this dismal age. Don’t you think it is tacky to send someone a sympathy note via e-mail? Don’t you ever need to purchase gift-wrap or a gift bag? I have leaved near Ansley Mall since the late ’90’s, and I have seen plenty of convenient and affordable businesses closed due to the desire to turn yet another Midtown shopping plaza into a yuppie-worshiping temple. And the service at the Ansley Mall Hallmark Store has always been impeccable and I have always been greeted with a very warm welcome when I walked through its doors.

  7. Agree with Shellie and Randy. This center is busy enough to command much higher rents (and is probably required to do so by the lender.) This was the most personable Hallmark I have been in and its sad for the owners; however, I’ve only shopped there a handful of times. Just not a concept that really fits with the demographic of the area.

    Looking forward to trying the new Planet Living when it is finally completed. Hope that ownership will invest in bringing some more creative retailers/restaurants to the center.

  8. Not to say that cards are outdated, but the concept of a card store is. Both Kroger and Publix have huge selections of Hallmark brand cards as well as Papyrus, Paper Affair, etc. Notice American Greeting stores all closed nationwide last year? Most people didn’t. Their website currently does list where their cards can be bought such as: Big Lot’s, Bed Bath&Beyond, or CVS Pharmacy. Or Paper Affair at Phipps closed? I personally liked that Hallmark location as well, but have spent maybe a total of $15 there, not even enough to pay a sales associate for two hours.

    I am excited about Planet Living if it’s done right, I do live in the area and Smoothie King has awful parking and is just out of walking distance for me, as was the same with Caribou coffee on the opposite corner.

  9. The Ansley Mall is in fine shape. The fact that they feel like they can raise the rents to $30/foot and kick out a long time tenant demonstrates this.

  10. Prakash Morjaria is such a nice man, and he had great employees. As a major card-sender, I miss his Hallmark store, which was more than just a store. Grocery store cards are not good substitutes.

  11. The Hallmark selection in the grocery stores is not nearly as big. I bought over $100 worth of cards before the Ansley store closed and can see I will run out soon. Was looking once again today for cards in Kroger/Publix, and the selection is abysmal. Trying to buy a birthday card for a longterm partner, not a spouse or new sweetheart, is impossible. Too many religious cards, nothing by Marjolein Bastin, my favorite artist. Unlike the person above who spent a total of $15 there, I probably spent $300/yr for all the years they were open. Yes, and the service was excellent. One time I mentioned that my cat had been killed the night before; the next DAY there was a sympathy card in my mailbox.

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