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I toured American Greetings!

March 7, 2016 By Talya Tate Boerner 12 Comments

American Greetings, OsceolaAll myย life, American Greetings has beenย aย magical mystery to me. A rather serious looking building, it spreads low on the flat delta landscape even wrapping around its own private lake. And although located only a few miles from where I grew up, I’d never stepped foot inside.ย Until a few weeks ago.

Being a writerย sometimes has its perks. At long last, I wormed my way inside and confirmed lots of things I’d always heard likeย employeesย really do ride bicycles inside. And they buzz around in golf cart-type vehicles, too. Internal transportation isย a necessary thing because the plant occupiesย nearly 2.6 million square feet, or 60 acres.

60 acres is the equivalent of 54 football fields, and that’s a big chunk of real estate.

American Greetings Corp in Osceola, Ar

For a couple of hours, I heldย my very ownย golden ticket and enjoyed a personalย lookย inside the Willy Wonka of greeting card factories. And take it from someone who becomes excited over paper products and buys lots of cards, theย tour exceeded my expectations even without aย chocolate river.

designated walkways at American Greetings - promoting safety

designated walkways promote safety

Each massive machine operates asย its ownย city, managed by an employee more than willing to show off his or her particular part of the overall productionโ€”cutting, stamping, dyeing, sprinkling glitter onย cards. Yes, there’s a machine that sprinkles and bakes on glitter. Glitter makes me happy.

American Greetings - Osceola

What begins as enormousย white rolls of paper, the size of round cotton bales, efficiently morphsย into boxes of Mother’s Day cards and next year’s Christmas greetings. And just like Willyย Wonka’s concern with chocolate espionage, there were certain areas of the American Greetings factory I couldn’t photograph because of trademarks and other such high level coolness.

I’m not going to tell youย there was a secret Inventing Room like in the Chocolate Factory, but there could have been.

inside American Greetings

Company History

The story of American Greetings Corporation includes all the elements of the classic American dream. Inย 1906, Jacob Sapirstein, a young Polish immigrant, movedย to Cleveland, Ohio with nothing but imagination and determination. Heย secured a $50 bank loan, started a business selling pennyย postcards to local merchants, and within one week, paid off his loan.

Sapirstein Greeting Card Company quickly grew into a profitable family business that survivedย during the The Great Influenzaย when Sapirstein became ill, and even flourishedย during The Great Depression when folks bought greeting cards in lieu of gifts. Later after World War II, as people became more mobile, greetings cards became the most popular wayย for staying in touch with loved ones.

The Osceola factory opened in 1961 primarily as an order filling facility. Northeast Arkansas provided a prime location with convenient river, rail and trucking transport.ย Over time, the facility has expanded and grown to handle both manufacturing and distribution. At one time it was the largest manufacturing facility under one roofย in Arkansas. Ten miles of conveyer belts run through the factory.

ten miles of conveyor belts in American Greetings, Osceola

Whether you realize it or not, most of usย grew upย with American Greetings. Remember Holly Hobbie?

The Holly Hobbie card debuted during the tumultuousย 60s providingย us with a “nostalgic sweetheart” and a throwback to a more peaceful time. We metย Strawberry Shortcake in the 1970s. By 1981, this spunky character had generated $500 million in retail sales with 600 different Strawberry Shortcake products. Miss Shortcake was followed by the Care Bare sensation. (While I was there, I suggested a Gracie Lee line of cards. Seems so logical to me.)

In 1986, at the age of 101, founder Jacob Sapirstein saw his company reach a $1 billion total sales milestone. And the company has continued to grow, expand, and evolve with a huge global and cyberspace presence. Today, American Greetings has the largest collection of electronic greetings on the Web available at AmericanGreetings.com.

American Greetings, Osceola

Employee Dedication

During my tour of the Osceola facility, I had a flashback to my banking career.ย One of the things I loved most about being a loan officerย was visiting my manufacturing customersโ€”companies that make things we can see and use, and that employ the area citizensโ€”that’s what keeps this countryย moving forward.

American Greetings in Osceola employs 1,331 associates. Many are second generation employees. And the level of dedication was noticeable from the friendliness of the employees to the number of employees with longevity and perfect attendance records. Thirty-one associates have over 10+ years of perfect attendance.

Larry Caldwell (pictured below) is the associate with the most seniority. Other than working in the cotton fields while in high school (he graduated from Missco), Larry’s entire working career and a significant portion of his life has been spent at American Greetings. 51 years to be exact. He started on the docks in receiving, moving goods from the boxcars that brought in inventory. That was theย hardest job, according to Larry. During his tenure, he’s worked every shift in various departments. Now Larry works 1st shift in the engraving department. Larry said the great people make his job easy, and today’s computers and technologies make him feel guilty for even drawing a paycheck.

If you’ve received an American Greeting card within the past few years, odds are good that Larryย touched it. And after having met him, I think that makes it even more special.

American Greetings - with Larry Caldwell, most senior employee

The company’s major greeting card brands are American Greetings, Carlton Cards, Gibson, Recycled Paper Greetings, and Papyrus. Look forย these brands the next time you buy a card and remember there’s a great chance it was manufactured and/or shipped from Osceola, Arkansas. How cool is that?

Thanks to everyone who made my tour so much fun! Even without a single piece of chocolate.

American Greetings - creating happiness laughter and love

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Tour @amgreetings #Osceola with me and yes, we need a #GracieLee #greetingcard. [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:
Josh Groban, Pure Imagination

American Greetings Card Folding Machine

 

Filed Under: Arkansas, Reviews, Travel Tagged With: AG, American Greetings Corporation, greeting cards, Mississippi County, Northeast Arkansas, Osceola

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Comments

  1. Gary D. Henderson says

    March 7, 2016 at 9:18 am

    Even before I looked, I knew what your musical pairing was going to be. Not the Groban version, but I knew which song it would be. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      March 7, 2016 at 1:26 pm

      Either I’m predictable or we are in tune in a Willy Wonka way.

      Reply
  2. Dorothy Johnson says

    March 7, 2016 at 2:50 pm

    I would love to take that tour. I agree Gracie Lee needs a line of cards.

    Reply
  3. Annelle says

    March 8, 2016 at 10:22 am

    Worked there one summer. Fainted in one of their big bends cause I kept bending over getting stuff out of the bottom. Loaded me on a box mover and took me to nurse’s station. Hilarious. I was fine. Benton worked there when we first got married as an industrial engineer. Good place!! Daddy always worried about covering that fertile ground with concrete!!

    Reply
  4. Shelly Johnson says

    March 9, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Really enjoyed ready this blog today.

    Reply
  5. Dan Fagin says

    March 14, 2016 at 3:56 pm

    Talya, are you related to Rex Creecy?

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      March 15, 2016 at 8:41 am

      Yes! He was my uncle:))

      Reply
    • Art Boudoucies says

      March 24, 2016 at 5:11 pm

      Hi Dan, I have often wondered where you ended up. I am still alive and kicking and living in McKinney,TX. Hope all is well with you and yours. The tour of AG was great. Brings back many good memories. Happy Easter!

      Reply
  6. frances creecy says

    March 15, 2016 at 6:31 pm

    Talya I enjoyed your blog on American Greetings it still looks the same. Rex and I left a lot of foot prints there.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      March 18, 2016 at 8:02 am

      Yes, you did. I looked for those footprints while I was there.

      Reply
  7. Jerry Delancey says

    March 15, 2016 at 10:59 pm

    I worked for almost 35 years there. I really enjoyed my jobs, I worked in a lot different areas in the plant. I love my job I had in Maintenance, as a carpenter I learned a lot and meet people that I will always love them. Just wish my health was better, I would still be there. Loved looking at these pictures as they bring back a lot of good memories.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      March 18, 2016 at 8:01 am

      Thank you Jerry! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed my visit. Best wishes to you for improved health.

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Now Available!)

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