By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Another historic building in downtown Hays has been revitalized following the recent move of Kat’s Hallmark from Tebo Village to 1003 Main.
“Our lease was coming due, and we outgrew the space,” said Kat’s Hallmark owner Kathy Schupman. “So I made a couple of phone calls, and the stars aligned.”
She has owned the business for seven years, initially taking over a location in Big Creek Crossing but has since developed deep connections with the community that she hopes will grow with the move downtown.
“We are headed into a direction of expansion and growth as a business and as a partner in our community,” Schupman said. “Building relationships in our community is very important to us. And everything they host down here is amazing to be a part of.”
After being open for a few weeks, she said they have felt “warm and welcomed.”
“We have always been focused on grassroots and community, so finding a building in the heart of our downtown with four times the space of what we had and with so much character was a dream come true,” Schupman said.
“Our downtown hosts several year-round activities such as art walks, parades, sidewalk sales, farmers market and pavilion concerts, just to name a few. Our new location is in the heart of that activity, and we are excited to participate and be a part of these endeavors.”
Originally home to the J.G. Brenner Department and J.T. Morrison Jewelry Stores, the building was constructed around 1919, according to the Chestnut Street Historic District application.
It would later be home to J.B. Byars Co. and combined into one location when JCPenney operated inside the building from 1930 to 1955.
More recently, the building was the location of Jackie Creamer’s Dance Studio and TR’s Sportswear.
“When we took off the plywood that was on the wooden floors, TR Sports was still painted on there,” Schupman said. “It was painted like a basketball court.”
Along with the main floor, the building features a 700-square-foot loft, used by JCPenny as an accounting office, which she plans to open by the end of the year.
The new style of the building reflects design features from Schumpan’s youth.
“It's very personal to me,” she said. “I am from Ohio and Amish community. Our stores are just like that, with natural hardwood floors and a lot of woodworking.”
Store merchandise also features prominently displayed Amish-made crafts.
“It just feels so good,” she said. “I love it.”
Making the space her own required a lot of hard work and more than a bit of help from local contractors, friends and family.
“We knocked down a couple of walls,” Schupman said. “That's where Steven from or from SjB Designs came in. Helping with that were my cousins Greg Leiker and Irvin Leiker. All these people came in. And my 85-year-old father-in-law was even on his knees, getting the staples out of the plywood.”
Vitzum Carpet One also assisted in replacing the concrete flooring in the front of the building, along with Ralph’s Electric helping to replace the building’s lighting.
Repurposing history extends even farther than the building as the new location has partnered with nearby Custom Creations, 1107 Main, for display fixtures and will offer a new site for the organization to sell their one-of-a-kind refurbished furniture from donations made to DSNWK.
"We were excited,” said LaVonne Giess, DSNWK program manager. “It was just another opportunity to showcase our pieces. And another store downtown.”
Custom Creations moved into its own rehabilitated downtown building two years ago.
“The community has been very receptive to us. So when somebody gives us such high praise and wants our pieces to be a part of their store, that was a no-brainer,” Giess said.
Schupman said 100 percent of the proceeds from those sales will go to Custom Creations.
Those sales are then used to continue the store and woodshop.
“Dustin [Olsen] works with a group of anywhere up to eight or nine individuals that work in the woodshop,” Giess said. “They take a piece and turn it into something else, and so the cost to flip it and turn it into something else and have the store, all of that money goes right back into keeping the store and the furniture going.”
Along with adding Custom Creations furniture, the larger location will allow Kat’s Hallmark to expand their offerings.
“We are both increasing our categories and adding to our categories,” Schupman said. "And by the end of the year, actually, in September, we will add another card aisle to increase both our greeting cards and our gift wrap."
Having also previously owned a party supply store, she said she plans to offer those items in the new location.
“We have reconnected with that side of retail, and we will be having the plates and napkins and cups and that kind of stuff as well,” Schupman said.
And as Kat’s Hallmark has evolved over the years, so has the Hallmark brand itself.
“They're keeping up with life events and what's going on in the world,” Schupman said. “They're also traditional, so it's just a great blend.”
But the store goes beyond just Hallmark branded items, and she hopes to be known as “an eclectic area of gifting.”
“We are a gifting store, so sometimes that is a gift to yourself. Self-love is a thing, but a lot of times it's looking for that right gift,” she said.
“Our store motto is ‘Where every gift is from the Heart’ because many of our selections are crafted with love, such as the pieces from Custom Creations, all are chosen with care and cherished by the customer,” Schupman said.
Kat’s Hallmark is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
