Last Day is Sunday for Dee’s Hallmark in Dearborn
After 26 years, the last day of business for Dee's Hallmark in Dearborn is Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012.
After 26 years of serving Dearborn, Dee’s Hallmark on Michigan Avenue will officially close its doors Sunday afternoon.
What remains in the store is all marked at 75 percent off. Bargain seekers will have until close of business today, Feb. 26, to snap it up. Otherwise, store owners Don and Dee Belcher will pack all of the stuff up and take it home.
For those of us who like a good Hallmark store, there remains a good one in Dearborn’s Fairlane Town Center mall. That Hallmark is a corporate-owned store and is well kept and has a great selection of all things Hallmark. A clerk in Dee’s Hallmark said there is another Hallmark card shop in a strip mall at Cherry Hill and Merriman.
The Belchers are closing the store so they can retire. Clerks in the store say paid parking, which has hurt business, helped expedite the couple’s retirement plans.
The Dee’s Hallmark building remains for sale for a price of about $640,000.
When we wrote about the building being put on the sales block more than two years ago, Mr. Belcher said in a note he would do all he could to remain open even if it meant moving to a new location.
“My commitment to survival has always been strong but after closing (3) other stores and using the money to keep Dee’s going there was not enough left to (purchase the building Dee’s is currently located),” Mr. Belcher wrote in 2009. “It is common knowledge that this is not the best time to sell commercial property as evidenced by the many vacancies in our area. However should it sell I will make every effort to negotiate a favorable lease agreement with the new owner. If that is not possible I will look to relocate as close to my current location as I can. A smarter man would have given up long ago I think I’m just to dumb to know when it’s time to quit!!!!”
Dee’s hung on for as long as they could.
We will miss what was easily the best card shop in Dearborn.
February 26th, 2012 at 9:56 am
what a shame “Dee’s is deffinitely and Hallmark” Good luck to you in your retirement.
And we are concerned about a Goodwill Store?
February 26th, 2012 at 10:22 am
What a shame, another retail store closing and it appears that paid parking had a lot to do with their decision.
I wish the Belcher’s good luck and much happiness in their retirement. Sorry to see you go.
February 26th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Let it rest flyonthewall!!!
February 26th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
ACO, 2 Cards for a Buck!…enough said 😉
February 26th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
The last one out of Dearborn turn off the lights!!!!!
February 26th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
“ACO, 2 Cards for a Buck!…enough said ;)” Great hardware store, add the cards to the cereal, candybars, chips and fudge. If ACO ever leaves no one should mourn its loss. Go to Studtz on Telegraph and find a real haedware store.
February 26th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
I get my cards at the dollar store or make them myself on the computer. As for the resin or plastic brick-a-brack, I threw three garbage bags of it away this weekend and told my wife that burglars must have gotten it. I told her a lot of people must really love that stuff since that’s all they took.
If you sell goods or services that people want to buy for a price they’re willing to pay…..they’ll buy it.
February 29th, 2012 at 11:34 am
I’m sorry the store is now gone. They held on for a long time. But, I also think Hallmark has screwed store owners for years by also doing business with big-name stores and having a line of their cards in those stores. Hallmark may have “justified” it by telling store owners the big-name deals were limited and consumers would know better. The reality is that Halmark’s consumer base wants to stick with the Hallmark name, but they’re not locked into going into Hallmark-named stores. So, the closings of many (including Metro Detroit area) comes as no surprise. I feel for owners of Hallmark stores. And I wish them well, and this includes Don and Dee Belcher.
March 1st, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Dearborn-ites are the cheapest individuals I have ever encountered. I don’t care what the card prices were…the employees at Dee’s were some of the friendliest women I have encountered during my eight year tenure in Dearborn. They were sweet, helpful and most importantly welcoming to me and my two small children who frequented the store often. More than I can say for many of the other “crap” Dearborn businesses and rude and unfriendly citizens for that matter. I will miss them. Try to find the same kind faces at the dollar store…doubt it. Seriously doubt that you will find it at a “Goodwill” store either. This town is going down hill faster than a sled with olive oil sprayed on the bottom on a snowy day. I am SO ready to move on and get out of this developing landfill. Donna…no comment necessary. I’m sure you have one brewing up.