Holiday shoppers have been turning to Norman’s Hallmark for eight decades, picking out special cards, unique seasonal decorations, and heartfelt gifts. The Newtown Township-based family business may be well established, but it shows no signs of slowing. Chris English profiled its ongoing success for the Bucks County Herald.

What began as a single store launched by his uncle in 1939 in Trenton now stretches across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

But Norman’s President and CEO Howard Henschel asserts that despite similar stock, each store is distinct.

The differentiator is, he says, his staff. “Employees are the driving force behind our success and are committed to creating an inspirational and seamless shopping environment for guests,” Henschel elaborated.

Those employees keep close tabs on current retail trends. A bestseller they’ve identified this year is Norm the Gnome, a “squishmallow” plush that’s exclusive to the chain.

Norman’s was also facile enough to survive pandemic shutdowns by jockeying its merchandise focus.

According to Marketing Director Kim Dunn, “We moved more toward providing our customers with an outlet to buy the masks, hand sanitizer and other personal protective essentials to keep them going. That was a huge success.”

More on Norman’s Hallmark is at the Bucks County Herald.