By Gavin McAllister
After more than 100 years, Hallmark has held its spot as the largest greeting card family-owned company. Masslive mentioned that, “Banner’s Hallmark, an independently owned operator of Hallmark Gold Crown stores, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 15, 2025, mainly for its cash flow, as well as its “outstanding debts,” which were planned to be paid off.”
In Benicia, Steve’s Hallmark shop closed on March 14th, 2026 after a brief 25% sale period for most items. For some, when it comes to a birthday, holiday or any other celebration, Hallmark has been, “the annual lifesaver,” as described by Kendall B’s review on Yelp. “…and that the establishment has something for every occasion.”
It may be good to know that, according to another review on Yelp, “there are Gold Crown Hallmark stores like Steve’s still around,” although, there is no doubt that people in Benicia are devastated to know of the closing of this store. That especially goes for those who travel far to reach a card store like this one.
The overall store service was debatable due to mixed feelings about the employees who worked there. Some reviews on Yelp mention being treated poorly, while contradicting reviews highly recommend the store for the professionalism of the workers.
The commercial gym, Anytime Fitness, was found to be an ideal replacement for the traditional retail space, as the closing of the store also may have been part of the demand for a more proper commercial real estate business.
