Alright, let’s talk about this American Greetings thing, you know, the card makin’ folks. I ain’t no fancy writer, so I’ll just tell it like it is, plain and simple.
So, first off, them American Greetings people, they make cards, you know, the birthday kind, the get well soon kind, all them sorts. They ain’t the only ones, mind you. There’s this other company, Hallmark, they do the same thing. But American Greetings, they’re a big deal too, second biggest in the whole wide world, they say. They’re over in Ohio, place called Westlake, near Cleveland. Never been there myself, but I hear it’s nice.
Now, these folks, they ain’t just about cards, though that’s how most folks know ’em. They got all sorts of party stuff too, like gift wrap, them shiny papers you use to make a present look pretty, and stickers, and all sorts of other things for celebratin’. They even got them e-cards, you know, the ones you send on that there computer thingy. Kids these days, they love that stuff. Me? I still like a good ol’ paper card, somethin’ you can hold in your hand.
And get this, these American Greetings folks, they got their fingers in a lot of pies. They used to be owned by just one family, but then some money men came along, you know, them fellas in suits, and they bought most of the company. But the family, they still got a piece of it, which is good, I reckon. Family’s important, you know.
But here’s where it gets a bit complicated, even for an old gal like me. Seems like American Greetings, they also got this whole entertainment thing goin’ on. They call it American Greetings Entertainment. And what do they do? Well, they got them Care Bears, you know, them cute little bears with the hearts and stars on their bellies? Yeah, those are theirs. They make TV shows and movies and all sorts of things with them Care Bears and other characters.
- They make paper cards
- They make e-cards
- They make gift wrap
- They make party goods
- They own Care Bears
- They make TV shows and movies
Now, this entertainment part, it got sold off recently. Some other company, a Canadian one, bought it. Paid a whole heap of money for it too, a hundred million dollars, they say. Can you imagine that much money? I sure can’t. But that don’t mean American Greetings is done with cards or nothin’. They still makin’ them, sellin’ them all over the world. They even made a deal with the Canadians, so they can still make cards and wrapping paper with them Care Bears on ’em.
It’s all a bit confusing if you ask me, all this buyin’ and sellin’ and spinnin’ off. But I guess that’s how business works these days. As long as they keep makin’ them pretty cards, I’m happy. It’s nice to get a card in the mail, you know? Makes you feel like someone’s thinkin’ of you.
So, that’s the long and short of it, as best as I can tell. American Greetings, they make cards, they do entertainment, they got bought and sold a bit, but they’re still around, makin’ folks happy with their cards and bears and whatnot. And that, I reckon, is a good thing.
And if you’re lookin’ for a card, well, you know where to go. Just head on down to the store and look for the ones with the little red bird on the back. That’s American Greetings. They got a card for just about any occasion you can think of. Birthdays, anniversaries, get well soon, even just a plain old “thinking of you” card. They got it all covered.
So there you have it. My take on American Greetings. Not fancy, but it’s the truth, as far as I know it. And that’s all that matters, right?
Tags: [American Greetings, Greeting Cards, Entertainment, Care Bears, Cloudco Entertainment, IVEST Consumer Partners, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Weiss Family, Ohio, Westlake, Cleveland]
