Jul 13, 2009

Greeting 25 years: Warner’s not your typical card storeBy Charles McMahonFosters.com

Portsmouth, NH — Twenty-five years of catering to customers card cravings and gift needs will soon come to the forefront for Robert Wyrick and his family.

The owner of Warner’s Card and Gift Shop located in the heart of the downtown at 2 Market Square will celebrate 25 years of doing business on July 15.

The shop that was formerly owned by Wyrick’s mother, Edith Warner, has grown into a souvenir destination and come to be known as a hot spot for locally made products and the traditional Hallmark gift cards.

Wyrick and his wife Kathy bought the business from Warner about five years ago and ever since have made a point to concentrate on customer needs first and foremost.

With a small sign in the front window that reads, “not your average card store,” Wyrick and his family have worked hard to set themselves apart from the common Hallmark brand.

“We try really hard to try and not be your typical Hallmark store,” Wyrick said. “Part of our success is that we’re not typical.”

That atypical presence Wyrick has strived so hard to achieve has even landed him mentions in “Oprah Magazine” and has drawn celebrities into his store the likes of Tom Bergeron and Samantha Brown.

“It’s a nice tight community and it’s also a global community,” he said.

Having worked in retail for the past 30 years, Wyrick admits owning a retail business has been a challenge, but nothing he and his wife couldn’t handle.

While he agrees that the faltering economy has taken its toll on business, Wyrick thinks things will improve.

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