9_11_13_15_17_GF.qxp_9/11/13/15/19/23/25 29/04/2023 11:43 Page 1
NEWS TOP STORY
John Charlton Joins Cardzone High profile non-exec chairman to help grow the group Industry stalwart John Charlton has taken on a senior post at the Cardzone retail group, with the news released just hours after the announcement he had stepped down as SA Greetings’ chairman following the company’s acquisition by Card Factory (see right). John has become non-executive chairman at the Nottingham-based Cardzone group, which now has 150+ stores across the whole of the UK operating under various names and is headed up by founder/owner, Paul Taylor and his son James. In addition, Cardzone forged a joint venture partnership with Postmark in April 2021 to cover new store openings for the specialist group, headed up by Mark and Leona Janson-Smith. John’s many years of industry experience include being non-executive chairman of International Greetings, and prior to that was senior vice-president of American Greetings together with being ceo of UK Greetings. Commenting on behalf of Paul and himself, trading director James Taylor, said: “We are both delighted that John has come on board as chairman for Cardzone. John is a true industry stalwart with experience at the highest level which we are confident will help elevate the Cardzone business in the years to come. There are plenty of exciting opportunities on the horizon and John will be an integral part on the deliverance of our growth plans.”
Sharing his take on the current card retailing landscape, John described greeting card and celebrations retailing as being “in a very interesting position today. Card Factory clearly dominates the 'value’ market. The demise of Paperchase has removed a retailer from the 'top tier' and Clintons is in the 'middle of the road'! In my opinion, Cardzone is in a great position, because within their Group, they have the variety and ability to satisfy a number of consumer channels.” John added that he admired Paul and James’ management style. “They have done a brilliant job in developing Cardzone, both by organic and acquisitive growth. They have a very lean management team, but they are now at a stage to implement strategies to make Cardzone Group the clear number two in the specialist celebrations retail sector. I am very excited to be joining them to help develop strategies to assist them in realising their growth ambitions.” Top: John Charlton (left) with Cardzone’s husband and wife duo Paul and Christine Taylor. Above: Cardzone now has over 150 outlets, plus the joint venture ones with Postmark.
Card Factory has acquired SA Greetings Card Factory paid £2.5million cash to acquire the entire issued share capital of SA Greetings, the leading greeting card publisher and card retailing group in South Africa. This is the first international acquisition for the UK’s largest greetings retail specialist, though it has a distribution agreement with the Reject Shop chain in Australia. With a head office and main warehouse in Johannesburg, and sales offices in Durban and Cape Town, SA Greetings Corporation (Pty) Ltd and its subsidiaries, which trade as SA Greetings, the group also includes 24 Cardies retail stores, with four further outlets operated by franchisees, plus a roll-wrap production facility. Of its first international acquisition, Darcy Willson-Rymer, Card Factory’s ceo, commented: “We are delighted to have completed the acquisition of SA Greetings. Under the continued leadership of SA Greetings’ MD Willie Engelbrecht, we will closely collaborate to further enhance and develop opportunities for the Card Factory and SA Greetings businesses.” He added that “SA Greetings brings with it significant experience operating a wholesale business, which can inform and support development of our retail partnership business, and is entirely aligned with Card Factory's strategic plan for international expansion.” As well as giving Card Factory a foothold into the South African market, Darcy said it will also be looking to utilise SA Greetings’ “mature printing, merchandising and warehousing facilities to understand how we can deliver similar local capability in other target markets.” Above: One of SA Greetings 24 Cardies stores now owned by Card Factor.
Postmark’s fast paced openings The last few weeks have seen Postmark open five new stores, with three more in the pipeline as PG went to press, which would take it up to fourteen shops. Capitalising on the demise of Paperchase, the London-based indie retail group, headed up by Mark and Leona Janson-Smith has seen the Postmark sign be raised above doors in Battersea Power Station as well as in Kings Cross, London Bridge, Waterloo and Birmingham New Street train station sites. Soon to follow is a store in Victoria train station as well as one in Richmond, plus another in Glasgow, which is due to open at the end of May. “We’re going international!” joked Mark of the latter, its first store in Scotland. “It has all been exciting, if rather hectic as we opened three stores within 10 days. The logistics of getting everything in place ready for the openings has been somewhat challenging, but the sales have been good,” revealed Mark. While up and running, Mark stressed that the new stores “will not be Postmarks as we know them for a while as we’re working with the old fittings but, once they’re all open, we will work through re-fitting them.” All these additional Postmark stores are jointly owned by the Janson-Smiths and Cardzone, part of the joint venture agreement forged with the two retail businesses in April 2021 for future stores. Above: The Postmark in Battersea Power Station is the card retailer’s biggest store to date. Right: Mark and Leona Janson-Smith are delighted, if a little exhausted by Postmark’s expansion flurry.
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