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cardsharp
Not All Quiet On
The Retail Front And so, we are all gradually getting back to normal with shops opening and in some cases, booming. It’s been a welcome relief and although things will take a bit more time to really revive, from Cardsharp’s visits to both city centres and local shops, recovery is well underway. But, no sooner have non-essential shops reopened, than there has been a flurry of retail activity in our sector - both good and bad.
Firstly, the bad news…the somewhat inevitable fall of the 60store strong Cards Galore chain into administration. Of all the specialist groups, Cards Galore was dealt the cruelest blow by the pandemic. Pretty much all of its stores were either based in central London or in transport hubs - the two worst hit areas in the last year. The chain had 11 stores in the financial hub of the city, an area that has had the appearance of a ghost town since even before the first lockdown. What is worse, Cards Galore could not even take advantage of the second batch of government support, as the business was
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PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
insolvent when the third lockdown hit. Cardsharp really feels for owners Rajesh and Rumit Shah who have seen 30 years of hard work destroyed by one year of madness. From all accounts Cards Galore has behaved with a great deal of integrity, endeavouring to settle all suppliers’ bills. Cardsharp hopes the Shahs can and will pick up some of their former stores from the administrators. Above: Cards Galore has been a beacon card retailer for 30 years - and then the pandemic struck. Right: Analysts are backing WHSmith, including its Funky Pigeon side, buoyed by the successful IPO from competitors Moonpig.
Above: The shoppers have returned to card shops, thank goodness!
And London is certainly where the action is at present. On the same day of the shops reopening in England and Wales, came the news of a joint venture between Postmark and Cardzone. This sees the larger group Cardzone (founded by industry legend Paul Taylor), take a 50% stake in Postmark’s future growth. And not wasting any time, the first two new Postmark shops under the JV are to open in Wimbledon and Blackheath in the next few months. On paper the agreement looks a shrewd one for both parties. Mark JansonSmith and his wife Leona, run four very successful design-led card shops in South London, an area and market they know and understand. Meanwhile, although Cardzone now runs 170 stores, these are mainly outside London. The Postmark brand could become very strong in more affluent areas of greater London, something that might be more difficult with the Cardzone format. Last month before the reopening Cardsharp speculated that the UK’s largest specialist chain, Card Factory, might well up their prices on reopening and that has