Sebastopol, CA–Children’s gifts cataloger/retailer HearthSong, part of Peoria, IL-based multititle mailer Foster & Gallagher, is in the process of closing five of its six Northern California retail locations. Sydney Klevatt, president of Foster & Gallagher’s Children’s Group, blames the closings on the area’s costly rents as well as online competition.
In addition to shuttering stores in San Francisco, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, and Burlingame, CA, HearthSong is closing its Cincinnati outlet store. Only its flagship Sebastopol, CA, store will remain open. Klevatt says the last store will close by the end of the second quarter. Retail accounted for less than 10% of Foster & Gallagher’s children’s sales. Klevatt says the company remains committed to HearthSong’s catalog operations.