Halls (department store)
Encyclopedia
Halls is the department store division of Kansas City, Missouri
-based Hallmark Cards
, consisting of two specialty department store locations — one adjoining Hallmark corporate headquarters and downtown Kansas City in the city's Crown Center commercial complex, the other in the city's high-end Country Club Plaza shopping district. Each store carries a variety of premium-branded items in apparel, cosmetics, jewelry, shoes, and other product categories, in addition to greeting cards and gift items carrying the Hallmark brand. The two Halls stores are positioned at a price level comparable to larger luxury-oriented chains including Bloomingdale's
and Neiman Marcus
.
founded Halls in 1913, as a companion to his greeting card company which had begun three years earlier. The store evolved from a showcase in the lobby of downtown Kansas City's Gordon and Koppel Building. By 1916, Halls had moved its store to 11th Street along the city's fashionable "Petticoat Lane" with expanded offerings covering an array of high-quality gift items. Halls' move in 1950 to downtown's Grand Avenue further developed its local reputation as a premium specialty store, with more merchandise added.
Halls became part of the collection of stores at the city's high-profile Country Club Plaza in 1965, comprising a full city block in the shopping district. In addition to the store's merchandise selection, the structure was outfitted with elaborate building materials and accessories such as inlaid lapis lazuli
floors and Baccarat
crystal chandeliers, with details complementary to the district's overall Spanish and Moorish architectural styles.
The department store's location in Crown Center was conceived in 1973. It was part of the continued revitalization of downtown envisioned by J. C. Hall, associated with development surrounding Hallmark's corporate headquarters that had begun in earnest in 1967. Halls Crown Center replaced the original downtown Halls with a three-level, 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) store designed by Paul László
.
The division in the present day notes J. C. Hall's mission for the store as a "unique shopping experience dedicated to the expression of personal style and the art of living well."
and Buccellati. Halls Crown Center includes the Halls Station model train shop — with an extensive line of brands including Lionel
and Märklin
— and adjoins The American Restaurant — an award-winning fine dining restaurant with the only Mobil Four-Star ranking in Kansas City, also developed by J.C. Hall with his son Donald.
Bridal registry, corporate gift services, and custom tailoring are offered at both stores, along with in-store Hallmark Gold Crown shops. The stores are also long-time sponsors of several area humanitarian organizations, serving health care, fine arts, public broadcasting and other interests around greater Kansas City.
The train shop has since closed to make room for the denim bar.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
-based Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
, consisting of two specialty department store locations — one adjoining Hallmark corporate headquarters and downtown Kansas City in the city's Crown Center commercial complex, the other in the city's high-end Country Club Plaza shopping district. Each store carries a variety of premium-branded items in apparel, cosmetics, jewelry, shoes, and other product categories, in addition to greeting cards and gift items carrying the Hallmark brand. The two Halls stores are positioned at a price level comparable to larger luxury-oriented chains including Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
and Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
.
History
Hallmark founder Joyce C. HallJoyce Hall
Joyce Clyde Hall , an American businessman, was the founder of Hallmark Cards.- Biography :Born in David City, Nebraska, the son of Frank Dudley Houston and George Nelson Hall, a minister, Hall worked odd jobs, mostly involving sales, from age 8 on to supplement the meager income of his father...
founded Halls in 1913, as a companion to his greeting card company which had begun three years earlier. The store evolved from a showcase in the lobby of downtown Kansas City's Gordon and Koppel Building. By 1916, Halls had moved its store to 11th Street along the city's fashionable "Petticoat Lane" with expanded offerings covering an array of high-quality gift items. Halls' move in 1950 to downtown's Grand Avenue further developed its local reputation as a premium specialty store, with more merchandise added.
Halls became part of the collection of stores at the city's high-profile Country Club Plaza in 1965, comprising a full city block in the shopping district. In addition to the store's merchandise selection, the structure was outfitted with elaborate building materials and accessories such as inlaid lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli is a relatively rare semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense blue color....
floors and Baccarat
Baccarat (company)
Baccarat Crystal is a manufacturer of fine crystal glassware located in Baccarat, France. The company owns two museums: the Musée Baccarat in Baccarat, Meurthe-et-Moselle and the Galerie-Musée Baccarat, on the Place des États-Unis in Paris...
crystal chandeliers, with details complementary to the district's overall Spanish and Moorish architectural styles.
The department store's location in Crown Center was conceived in 1973. It was part of the continued revitalization of downtown envisioned by J. C. Hall, associated with development surrounding Hallmark's corporate headquarters that had begun in earnest in 1967. Halls Crown Center replaced the original downtown Halls with a three-level, 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) store designed by Paul László
Paul László
Paul László or Paul Laszlo was a Hungarian-born modern architect and interior designer whose work spanned eight decades and many countries...
.
The division in the present day notes J. C. Hall's mission for the store as a "unique shopping experience dedicated to the expression of personal style and the art of living well."
Products and services
Halls offers a variety of premium brands in ladies' and men's apparel, cosmetics, jewelry, and housewares, with select items available exclusively at one of the two stores. Halls Plaza houses The Jewel Room, featuring creations by jewelry designers such as Van Cleef & ArpelsVan Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels is a French jewellery, watch, and perfume company that was founded in 1896 by Charles Arpels and Alfred Van Cleef. They opened their first boutique in 1906 at 22 place Vendôme, Paris...
and Buccellati. Halls Crown Center includes the Halls Station model train shop — with an extensive line of brands including Lionel
Lionel, LLC
Lionel, LLC is a designer and importer of toy trains and model railroads, based in Chesterfield Township, Michigan. Its roots lie in the 1969 purchase of the Lionel product line by cereal conglomerate General Mills....
and Märklin
Märklin
Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Wurttemberg. Although it originally specialised in doll house accessories, today it is best known for model railways and technical toys...
— and adjoins The American Restaurant — an award-winning fine dining restaurant with the only Mobil Four-Star ranking in Kansas City, also developed by J.C. Hall with his son Donald.
Bridal registry, corporate gift services, and custom tailoring are offered at both stores, along with in-store Hallmark Gold Crown shops. The stores are also long-time sponsors of several area humanitarian organizations, serving health care, fine arts, public broadcasting and other interests around greater Kansas City.
External links
The train shop has since closed to make room for the denim bar.