A Christmas themed greeting card by Lavenderpop Greeting Cards
Lavenderpop Greeting Cards, a Chicago-based collection of Black and Chicago themed cards continues to flourish in its partnership with Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods, Buddy Store at the Chicago Culture Center and Local Market Foods in South Shore.
Lavenderpop Greeting Cards launches new Chicago-themed Christmas card designs for the holiday season. Washington Park resident Otis Richardson, the owner and artist behind the card company, says “I wanted to give my returning customers new cards to choose from so I created one card using the Chicago flag where the red stars double as stars atop Christmas trees. Another design has a Black Santa, his reindeer and Rudolph on top of a CTA train.” Santa says “ Rudolph, why didn’t we think of this sooner?“ “It was a lot of fun creating these cards and I believe customers will connect with them because they speak to us as Chicagoans.”
Richardson has also added new Birthday and Sympathy cards this year. “During the times that I’m restocking the cards, I’ve met customers that really appreciate that there is another option for Black greeting cards. “I want to make sure there are new designs, especially for customers who have supported the cards for the three years I’ve been in Jewel-Osco.”
The Jewel-Osco at 6014 S. Cottage Grove happens to be the top performing store related to sales for Lavenderpop Greeting Cards. Richardson says “I’m really appreciative of the support I’ve gotten from the Hyde Park and Washington Park community.
In 2020, Lavenderpop made history as the first independent and Black-owned line to be carried in the 124-year history of Jewel-Osco. “I was nervous when I started because I was delivering my spinner rack of cards in the middle of a pandemic. But I knew I had to put those worries aside. If other vendors were making deliveries, then so could I. There wasn’t going to be some perfectly safe moment.”
Women purchase an estimated 80% of all greeting cards (stat from Greeting Card Association). “Because of this data, women, especially Black women are the biggest purchasers of Lavenderpop cards. I noticed the best-selling cards are the ones that feature Black women on the cover. I’ve added more designs like this by representing Black women of different ages, hairstyles, and body types. The new designs launched for 2023 feature a woman praying on a Sympathy card. For Birthday designs, one has a smiling woman holding a bouquet and another is a funny card with a woman scowling on the cover, but smiling and wishing a happy birthday on the inside.
“I want to keep coming up with new designs to keep the line “fresh.” One of my newer birthday cards for men features a bearded man in a blue t-shirt. The card was made in reaction to a customer who wanted a card for a friend who was not a “suit and tie kinda guy.” Richardson adds “One of my biggest advantages is that I can take feedback directly from customers and come up with cards that are relatable.”
In addition to Jewel-Osco, Lavenderpop Greeting Cards are also carried in Whole Foods in the South Loop (Roosevelt & Canal), Buddy Store at the Chicago Culture Center, and Local Market Foods in South Shore. A full list follows and at www.lavenderpop.com.
Otis Richardson, owner and creator of Lavenderpop Greeting Cards is an artist and nationally published illustrator based in Washington Park, Chicago. “The fact that these designs started as a sketch on my kitchen table and were then finished and sold to thousands of shoppers still blows my mind. I have this never-give-up spirit and I’m motivated to not just sell a bunch of cards, but to create cards that really connect with people. Sending greeting cards is another way we can keep in touch with the ones we love.”
Here is the full store list:
Jewel-Osco Stores – 17705 S. Halsted St., Homewood, IL; 3153 W. 183rd St., Homewood, IL; 7530 S. Stony Island Ave., Chicago, IL; 11730 S. Marshfield Ave., Chicago, IL; 1220 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL; 87 W. 87th St., Chicago, IL; 1655 E. 95th St., Chicago, IL; 9400 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL; 443 E. 34th St, Chicago, IL; 7036 Roosevelt Rd., Oak Park, IL; and 6014 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago, IL 60637
Whole Foods Store – South Loop 1101 S. Canal St., Chicago, IL
Buddy Shop – Chicago Culture Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, IL 60602
Local Market Foods, 2101 E. 71st St., Chicago, IL
