Hall Brothers

J.C. Hall started by selling picture postcards created by others to Kansas City drugstores, bookstores and gift shops, and his business quickly picked up. His older brother joined him, and they opened a store in Downtown Kansas City.

But in 1915, their entire inventory was destroyed in a fire. The two took the only salvageable item, their safe, and started over. This time, they bought an engraving firm and started producing their own cards with envelopes, instead of postcards.

By 1921, their brother William Hall had joined the other two in Kansas City and two years later, they formed Hall Brothers, Inc., which would one day become Hallmark.

The name Hallmark came to J.C. Hall because goldsmiths used it as a mark of quality. Hall liked that—and that it included his family name. In 1928, the company started using the Hallmark name on the back of every card. The company officially changed its name to Hallmark Cards in 1954.

Two KC Legends Unite

Hallmark isn’t the only legendary brand to get its start in Kansas City. Before he went on to create beloved characters and inspire thrilling theme parks, Walt Disney spent his formative years in the Heart of America.

Disney moved to Kansas City with his family in 1911 and opened his first animation studio, Laugh-O-Gram Studio, in 1921. He eventually moved to Hollywood to start what would become a media empire.

In 1932, these two iconic companies teamed up. Hallmark signed its first licensing agreement with Disney, and the two founders formed a lasting friendship and business relationship. Still today, Disney fans can find their favorite characters as Hallmark ornaments and gifts or on cards and gift wrap.    

Hallmark Channel

Hallmark’s brand continued to expand throughout the century. In 1951, NBC approached Hallmark about sponsoring the first original opera for television. It aired on Christmas Eve and became the first in a series of specials that became known as the Hallmark Hall of Fame.

J.C. Hall stepped aside as CEO in 1966 and his son Donald J. Hall took over the role, but J.C. Hall never really retired, continuing as chairman until he died in 1982.

But his family kept working to build the brand when it acquired stakes in Odyssey Network in 1998. A few years later, the channel was rebranded as Hallmark Channel, focused on made-for-TV movies and family-friendly programming. Today it reaches millions of households across the world.

Crown Center

As Hallmark continued to grow, J.C. and Donald Hall didn’t forget about their local community. Starting in the 1960s, the father-son duo led the development of Crown Center surrounding Hallmark’s headquarters in Kansas City.

It was a catalyst for development in other nearby neighborhoods. The 85-acre site was transformed to feature dozens of retail shops, restaurants, office space, entertainment and hotels.

Families can now find attractions like SEA LIFE Aquarium, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, the nationally recognized Coterie Theatre and the Crown Center Ice Terrace.

At the Hallmark Visitors Center, guests can learn more about the company’s history and work. There’s a display of Christmas trees that employees decorated and gifted to J.C. Hall for over 15 years. With a push of a button, visitors can watch Hallmark’s bow machine make a special souvenir, browse multiple exhibits, or watch a short film in the theater.

Christmas Classics

Hallmark launched one of its most iconic lines—Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments—in the 1970s. At first, Hallmark just released a small line of six glass ball ornaments and 12 yarn figures for the initial Keepsake collections.

By the 1980s, the ornaments started including light, motion and sound, and Hallmark started ornament series for people to collect their favorite theme or character. Now, more than 200 new ornaments are released every July at a special premier.

Over 50 years later, Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments have become one of the most collectible items every holiday season with over 8,500 Keepsake Ornaments released. There are also over 500 local chapters of the Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments Club in the United States and Canada.

Getting Creative

In the 1980s and ‘90s, Hallmark began acquiring complementary companies to reach new audiences. One of those companies was Crayola, the art supply maker.

Today, Kansas City shoppers will find a Crayola store at Crown Center filled with craft supplies and interactive displays. Crown Center also features the free-to-visit Kaleidoscope. In this art-making space, kids can use Hallmark materials and Crayola supplies to create their own art projects.

Legacy Continues

More than 110 years after J.C. Hall stepped off that train in Kansas City, Hallmark continues to have a lasting impact on Kansas City and far beyond.

In 2024, Hallmark partnered with the Kansas City Chiefs for “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” The holiday flick filmed in the Kansas City area and will premiere in November 2024.

Also in winter 2024, Hallmark will make another mark on Kansas City as it hosts the Hallmark Christmas Experience.

Each weekend during the holiday season, guests can shop at a Christmas market, enjoy nightly light shows and tree lightings, and more. Fans can even elevate their experience with ticketed events like ice skating, meet-and-greets with Hallmark movie stars, a new holiday pop-up bar, and workshops with Hallmark artists.