Katy’s grand opening
Hometown Hallmark acquires new name, new owners
Katy’s Hallmark (formerly Linda’s Hallmark), 11527 Kingston Pike in the Village Green shopping center, is hosting a two-day grand reopening event this Friday, June 16, and Saturday, June 17, which will show off its extensive updates and new product lines, along with opportunities to win prizes, discounts and even free merchandise.
The first 50 visitors each day will receive a free gift bag, as shoppers may draw for a single-item discount of between 15 and 40 percent. Guests may also register for daily prize drawings.
“We are excited about the renovations and our new gift and clothing items,” said Oak Ridge native Charlie Tallent of Brentwood, who co-owns Katy’s with his wife, Sherilyn. “We pretty much gutted the store and reconfigured it, and have added clothing, candy and gift items we didn’t previously carry.”
Tallent said more emphasis is being placed on non-Hallmark products in adding the lines that include Godiva, Thymes, Tervis, Meghan Browne Jewelry, Natural Life, Mud Pie, Trapp candles, Tyler Candle Co., Lenny and Eva Jewelry, Scout bags, Colonial, Root, Jelly Belly and Habitat.
However, many products shoppers have come to expect from the Hallmark store remain, including Willowtree, Ella B Candles, Springbok puzzles, Silver Forest, Baggallaini, Jelly Cat, Ronaldo, Michel Design, Swan Creek and Evergreen.
Tallent purchased the store from Linda Underwood in March and renamed it Katy’s, as he already Hallmark stores by that name in Nashville and Brentwood.
The Farragut store closed for two weeks in May for the renovations, which Tallent said “went very well. All the contractors we worked with were fantastic, and everything went as scheduled.”
Additionally, Tallent said the store transition overall “has been very smooth. We have had key people, in (store manager) April (Moss) and Rene (Mackley, buyer), among others, who have really made everything easy.”
The store has added one sales associate, he said.
Hallmark has been Tallent’s professional passion since he graduated from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1982, when he first went to work for Hallmark corporate.
“It gets in your blood,” Tallent said, noting he bought his first Hallmark store in 1995 in Atlanta.
“We also have a passion for giving back to the communities where we are involved, and look forward to continuing Linda’s support for Alzheimer’s Tennessee in Knoxville,” he added about helping others.
