Papyrus Store In Towson Town Center To Close

TOWSON, MD — Stationery store Papyrus is closing all of its locations nationwide. The chain has five stores in Maryland — in Towson, Annapolis, Columbia, Chevy Chase and Bethesda.

Papyrus operates about 250 stores across the country, all of which will shutter over the next two months. The announcement of the shutdown comes after steady declines in greeting card sales and at a point between two major milestones in the greeting card industry: Valentine's Day is the second-biggest greeting card holiday after Christmas for Papyrus.

Liquidation sales have begun at the Towson location, where all merchandise is 20 to 40 percent off. Christmas items are being sold at an additional markdown.

All sales are final, and no returns or guarantees will be honored.

A 20 to 40 percent off storewide sale is also promoted on the Papyrus website.

"This decision is heartbreaking for me, personally of course," CEO Dominique Schurman said in a letter to Papyrus's 1,400 employees, "and also because I know how dedicated you all have been to your stores and this company."

Papyrus in Towson Town Center will be open another two to four weeks, an employee told Patch Saturday, Jan. 25; that puts the closure anywhere from Feb. 8 to Feb. 22.

The first Papyrus retail location opened in 1973 in Berkeley, Calif.

"We hope that through our artistic, thoughtful greeting cards and our personal expression products that we were able to inspire you to celebrate and honor the special people in your lives, creating meaningful moments along the way," according to a statement from Papyrus Thursday, Jan. 25. "The Papyrus brand lives on, and we hope you will still find joy in it."

Some of its products will continue to be sold in Target after the Papyrus stores close.

The Towson Papyrus is at the Towson Town Center, 825 Dulaney Valley Rd, #3365, Towson, MD 21204. It is on the third level. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

This article includes reporting from Massachusetts Patch editor Dave Copeland.