Winners Selected in CityArt Holiday Card Contest Featuring Landmarks & Architecture in Greater Cincinnati  

A panel of judges has selected the winners of M. Hopple & Co.’s 2014 CityArt Holiday Card Contest. The contest, in its eighth year, invited local and regional artists to showcase landmarks and architecture in the Cincinnati area with a winter or holiday theme. Selected works will be available as limited edition greeting cards through the end of the year exclusively at M. Hopple & Co. in Madeira. The winners are:

First Place: Kate Cassidy of Colerain Township, for her acrylic and oil portrayal of the Findlay Market (artwork title: “Findlay Market Circa 1855”)
Second Place: Patrick Greeson of New Richmond, for his gouach portrayal of Cincinnati City Hall (artwork title: “Christmas at Cincinnati City Hall”)
Third Place: Kayla Hines of Loveland, for her pen and water color drawing of the Cincinnati Observatory (artwork title: “Observing the Holidays”)
Fourth Place: Bradley Strauchen of Kenwood, for her water color and gouach painting featuring Mt. Adams (artwork title: “Mt. Adams an Urban Island”)
An honorable mention was given to: Mary Jo Sage of Cincinnati, for her water color of the Indian Hill Schoolhouse, titled “School’s Out”

The five original works of art will be available for sale after October 6th at M. Hopple & Co., located at 7920 Hosbrook Road in Madeira. Customers can select a set of 10 (all one design) for $19.95 or purchase individual cards for $2.25 each.  Imprinting on the inside of the cards is .38 cents through October 31st and .50 cents through December.  Special pricing for large quantities or corporate orders is available. This year, card sales will benefit The Literacy Network, a local nonprofit organization that teaches adults and children through specialized reading classes, tutoring and character development. In the first seven years of the CityArt competition, over 20,000 holiday cards have been sold, all featuring local scenes and created by local artists, with a portion of the proceeds each year going to a local non-profit organization.

  More information about the CityArt Card Collection is available by phone at (513) 791-6426, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/M-Hopple-Co or by visiting www.mhopple.com.

Check out our new owner Morgan Busam on FOX19 Cincinnati News, FOX19-WXIX TV

Join us for our Grand Re-Opening celebration, March 10th through March 15th. Mention you saw our blog post for a free gift just for visiting! At this time, we are taking brides by appointment, please call 513-791-6426 or email kenwood@mhopple.com.

Have you seen the news? There’s a new “M” at M. Hopple & Co. … Morgan Busam! In case you did not get a chance to read the article in yesterday’s Cincinnati Enquirer, there is a link below. We’re planning to celebrate our Grand Opening the week of March 9-15th…. stay tuned for more details! We are working hard to make M. Hopple & Co. better than ever and we are excited to continue to serve the Cincinnati community with stationery, wedding invitations, party invitations, greeting cards, unique gifts and more! Before our Grand Opening, we will continue to take Bridal and other custom orders by appointment only. Please call our store at 513/791-6426 and leave a message or email us at kenwood@mhopple.com.   As always, thank you to our loyal customers, we are looking forward to seeing you soon!   http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20140212/BIZ/302120039/

M. Hopple & Co. is in transition to NEW ownership! Please stay tuned for more details. If you are in need of information, or have questions, please contact us by telephone at 513/791-6426, by email at kenwood@mhopple.com or look for details on our Facebook page.   Please note that while we are in transition our store hours are subject to change. We will take brides by appointment during this time. Please call 513/791-6426 for appointment availability.        

The CityArt Holiday Card Contest, featuring favorite holiday traditions from around our region, has selected five submissions as 2013 winners. The contest, in its seventh year, invited local and regional artists to showcase a Cincinnati holiday tradition with a winter or holiday theme.  Selected works will be available as limited edition greeting cards through the end of the year exclusively at M. Hopple & Co.   2013 winners are:   Kate Cassidy of Colerain Township, for her acrylic and oil portrayal of the Ohio River Bank at Night, Cincinnati skyline view (artwork title: “Every Day’s a Holiday”) Kayla Hines of Lebanon, for her pen and water color drawing of the LuNeack House in Columbia-Tusculum (artwork title: “Noel at the LuNeack House”) N. Bradley Strauchen of Kenwood, for her water color painting featuring the Roebling Suspension Bridge over the Ohio River (artwork title: “Bridge Over the Ohio River”) Myra Messick Simons of Loveland, for her gouache and water color painting of two polar bears in the “Lords of the Arctic” exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens (artwork title: “Polar Pair”)   For the first time, M. Hopple & Co. opened the contest to their employees. The winning employee entry was: Frank Noyola-Izquierdo of Newport, Kentucky for his mixed media “Cincinnati Snow Globe”   The five original works of art will be reproduced in a unique Holiday Card Collection, available now in our store, located at 7920 Hosbrook Road in Madeira.  Customers can select a set of 10 (all one design) for $18.95 or purchase individual cards for $1.95 each.  Imprinting on the inside of the cards is .17 cents through November 1st and .35 cents through November 27th.  Discounts for large quantity orders are available.   Card sales will benefit Breakthrough Cincinnati, a local nonprofit organization that helps high- potential, under-resourced middle school students succeed academically and inspires talented older students to consider careers in education by providing opportunities to mentor and teach.  In the first six years of the CityArt competition, over 17,000 holiday cards have been sold, all featuring local scenes and created by local artists, with a portion of the proceeds each year going to a local non-profit organization.

Description M. Hopple & Co., Cincinnati’s premier stationery and gift store, is seeking an energetic sales consultant to join our team. The ideal candidate must provide excellent customer service to meet and exceed client expectations by demonstrating excellent product knowledge and attention to detail. The candidate must be able to build and develop client relationships in a fun, dynamic environment. Company Overview: Since opening our doors in 1981, M. Hopple & Co. has gained a reputation for quality products, excellent service, and unique, creative ideas.  Nationally recognized in the stationery industry as a seller of the finest paper lines, M. Hopple & Co. offers over 50 vendors for wedding invitations alone!  Crane & Co., William Arthur, C’est Papier, Vera Wang, Envelopments, Carlson Craft, Checkerboard, Designer’s Fine Press, and Dauphine are among our many personalized vendors.  In addition, the In-House Graphic Design Department helps meet the needs of customers with care and creativity.  M. Hopple & Co. prides itself on offering superior personalized service, knowledge of etiquette, understanding of current paper trends and custom products for the past 32 years. Job Overview:

• Assist customers with personalized albums and services to guide them through the design process
• Work with customers to develop custom invitations, announcements, stationery, etc.
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of store products and services while ensuring excellent customer service
• Attempt to resolve and report customer service issues within company policy
• Ability to generate sales from customer database and leads

Requirements Qualifications:

• Creative knowledge of color, typography, graphic design, and printing is a plus
• High-end retail experience, knowledge of the bridal or event planning industry is a plus
• Proficient in Microsoft Business Office Edition
• Experience with retail Point of Sale software preferred
• Excellent grammatical, spelling, and basic math skills
• Experience with etiquette in formal writing
• Great customer service skills and outgoing, interactive personality
• Love of paper and stationery
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and appointments on an as-needed basis

Physical Requirements: Standing (duration of shift), sitting, walking, lifting (up to 25 lbs), pulling, pushing, climbing (ladders), stooping, and crouching.   To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to kenwood@mhopple.com, or stop into the store and pick up an employment application. Please, no phone calls.

You can never write too many thank you notes but they may be difficult to write without a bit of coaching. Consider this blog your coaching! If you question whether to write a thank note-whatever the occasion -write a note.   Social thank yous:  Here are some wording tips to keep “on hand” for the next time you need to write a thank you note. Your note doesn’t have to be long and wordy, just sincere with proper grammar and spelling. Even if you’ve verbally thanked your host or gift-giver, follow-up promptly with a note. Better late than never, but on time is the best! Focus on the thoughtfulness and generosity of the gift-giver rather the gift itself. Mention what a great choice it was and how much you’ll enjoy using or having it. Mention what a great time you had if the note is for an event you were invited to. Use words and phrases that are appropriate for you. Be enthusiastic and appreciative but never express more than you feel. A simple “thank you” goes a long way.   Business thank yous:  A must for job-seekers is a courteous thank you note to the person who interviewed you. Write the note immediately after the interview and before a decision will be made. Mention what you liked about the interview, the company, the position. Find some quality stationery to write your note on-it will create an impression of your good taste and attention to detail. My daughter’s co-workers still talk about the thank you note she wrote after her first interview on beautiful Oxford blue and white Crane’s engraved stationery!   Example 1: Tips for thank yous after an interview Thank you after an interview Use your thank-you letter to recall strong points from the interview, to answer any questions that may have arisen, and to provide information you have promised: “I was very impressed during my tour of your facilities, and my conversation with Dr. Mitchell was particularly helpful. I am enclosing a copy of my paper on car phone safety issues that we discussed.” End on and upbeat note by thanking the interviewer and expressing your hope for a positive outcome: “Thank you for your time and interest. I look forward to the possibility of joining your staff.” Or “Thank you again for meeting with me. I look forward to hearing your decision about the position.”   Phrases to use Appreciate this opportunity As a token of our gratitude Enjoyed it/ourselves enormously Made us feel so welcome Generous gift I plan to use it for I want to thank you for Look forward to seeing you again soon Many thanks Really appreciate your help Thank you very/so much Very thoughtful of you Want you to know how much we appreciate We were especially pleased because   Example 2: Thank you for a job recommendation Thank you so much for agreeing to write a letter of recommendation for me, especially since I know how busy you are this time of year. I’m enclosing a stamped envelope addressed to the personnel officer at Strickland Construction so that you can just drop your letter in the mail. I will, of course, let you know at once if I get the job. In the meantime, thanks again for your kindness. (How To Say It – page 352)   Example 3: Thank you for an award recommendation It is my understanding that you wrote a letter supporting my nomination by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering as a Distinguished Professor. I am happy to inform you that I was indeed honored with this title on June 3, 2012. I am deeply appreciative of your kind support in this regard. Many thanks. (How To Say It – page 353)   Entertaining is a part of business and sometimes taken for granted, but a thank you note is still appropriate, appreciated and builds good relations. Thank you notes to co-workers for jobs well-done inspires loyalty, enthusiasm and increased productivity.  Thanks yous to good customers or new customers may stand out from the crowd of other suppliers and say to that customer “you are important.”   Example 1: Corporate Event On behalf of the directors, staff, and employees of Mallinger Electronics, I want to thank you for the splendid job you did arranging the Awards Banquet Night. Decorations, food, program, and hospitality were all first-rate. Please convey our admiration and thanks to your committee chairs. If you can possibly face the thought, we would like you to head up next year’s celebration. The evening was an outstanding success in every way, primarily due to your organizational abilities, creativity, and interpersonal skills. (How To Say It – page 353)   Example 2: Thank you to a Sales Clerk I would like to thank one of your sales clerks for being helpful, tactful, and speedy – all at the same time! I foolishly tried to buy a wedding gift on my lunch hour, and I am a poor shopper at the best of times. Within minutes, this young man helped me select the absolutely perfect gift at the price I wanted to pay. It was all done so smoothly that I was out of the store before I knew it – and before I thought to ask his name. The initials on my sales slip are R.J. Can you identify him and pass on my thanks? (How To Say It – page 353)

Following are our March promotions, be sure to check our blog monthly for sales and specials!     PSA Stamp Sale Personalized stamps by PSA Essentials are currently on sale for $24 plus shipping (regular price $40). There are several styles and designs available! Stop in today to take advantage of this great deal! Now through March 31, 2013.   Embossed Graphics Flat Ink Sale: Memos, Lists, Agendas, Tablets, Empire Tower Pads, Desk Slabs and Super Slabs are now on sale for $19.95. (Excludes Morning Glory, Airbrush, and Stainless Steel Sets) Embossed Card and Note Sale: All embossed cards and notes are on sale for $25.95, double thick embossed notes are on sale for $29.95. Additional sets and return address printing are $19.95. (Excludes Wardrobes and Ensembles) FREE Stationery Return Address: Free return address printing on all raised card and note envelopes. (Excludes Wardrobes and Ensembles) All Embossed Graphics promotions run through March 31, 2013. William Arthur Wedding Sale Buy 75/Get 25 Free Wedding Invitations from William Arthur Weddings I and II, Vera Wang, and Truly by William Arthur. Now through March 31, 2013.   Birchcraft FREE Envelope Liners: Choose any Wedding, Social, or Bar/Bat Mitzvah Invitation from a  Birchcraft Studios album and you will receive FREE lined envelopes with your order. Now through March 31, 2013.   Page Stationery