Dec. 18, 2017 By Christian Murray
Bings Hallmark, which has been located at 45-15 Greenpoint Ave. since 2011, is closing next month.
The closing represents an end of an era, since there has been a Hallmark store located at that Greenpoint Avenue address for at least 50 years.
The owners of the store, Czarinna Andres and her brother Arthur DeLeon, said that they have been working seven days per week to keep the business going and with declining sales it is no longer a worthy endeavor.
“Both Arthur and I have a young child,” Andres said, who has a 4-year-old boy. “It’s difficult spending so much time and energy on the business when you have a child. In addition, we were not getting the financial reward to make it worthwhile.”
Big box stores and online shopping has made it tough, Andres said. “Our margins have been getting smaller and smaller with each successive year.”
Andres said that the store will be discounting its items from now until they close.
“It’s a sad day for our staff and for our family ,” Andres said. “We have so many memories. We have met and made so many friends…but the store no longer makes for a sustainable lifestyle.”
Nevertheless, Andres said that she will continue to be active in Sunnyside. She is a member of Community Board 2 and has recently joined Sunnyside Community Services as the non-profit’s Director of Volunteer Services and Community Relations.
Meanwhile, DeLeon, a Woodside resident, has started an online retail venture promoting Queens-themed products.
Shorty after Andres and DeLeon bought the store (Photo: QueensPost)
