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Flashback Friday Part 1: The 1970s
Hero Arts
Hero Arts is celebrating 45 years in business this year! What an incredible journey it has been. YOU are a wonderful part of our history, and now that our anniversary is here, we'd like to invite you to celebrate this milestone alongside us! In the next several weeks, join us for fun, contests, behind-the-scenes content, lots of giveaways, new products, and more. Let's get this party started, friends!
The start of it all? Flashback Fridays. Over the course of five Fridays, we'll be sharing the story of our five decades as a company.
The setting: Berkeley, California, mid-1970s. Let's hear about the earliest days of Hero Arts from our CEO, Aaron Leventhal:
"Hero Arts was founded in May of 1974, near the end of the school year, when my mother (Jackie) decided she would try out her hobby at local craft fairs. Early designs included funky cartoon images, irreverent messages, and drawings from friends and family, including Betty Boop, cartoon monkeys, a cow by 4 year-old Aaron, and more. Most of the stamps were handmade in our bathroom, where our vulcanizer sat, that pressed rubber. The rubber was then cut and assembled in Jackie's bedroom, before being sent out via mail or sold at fairs."
Wondering what the first catalogs looked like? Well, they were actually fold-out posters...
Here's a closer look at the inside and back of the 1978 Hero Arts product poster.
Aaron even found this photo showing an early craft show booth from the late 1970s!
If you're interested in hearing more of the Hero Arts story, grab a beverage and enjoy this interview from a few years ago, when Aaron sat down for an Online Card Classes Crafty Chat. We think you'll enjoy hearing this story directly from him!
When did you start stamping? Let us know in a comment below and we will pick one winner at random to receive a $25 Hero Arts gift card! Comment by Thursday, April 25 at 11:59pm PT and you'll be entered to win.
Tomorrow we'll begin sharing peeks from our upcoming 45th Anniversary Summer Catalog! That's right, this year's Summer Catalog is one big anniversary celebration that we can't wait to share with you.
Thank you for joining us today!
Wow, what great memories Hero Arts! I love reading about your story, so interesting! I started stamping in 1999 when my sister invited me to a stamping party. I made my first card and was hooked! I love your products, giving outreach, and brilliant design team! Wishing you many more years of continued success in the future.
Congratulations Hero Arts! I started stamping about 1979. Very few companies around back then but it opened up another whole way to enjoy my love of paper crafts. Still having fun and going strong after all these years.Wishing Hero Arts another 45 years (at least) of continued success.
This time last year was when I started getting interested in Mixed Media which in turn led me to stamping. I quickly fell in love with everything to do with papercrafting. It’s become so much more than a hobby and I love it! I am very excited to go back to the beginning of Hero Arts and learn all about the history, the people, and the products that I enjoy so much – 45 years….WOW, Congrats!
mardy14@bellsouth.net
I began “stamping” about 16 years ago but it was grounded in scrapbooking. I dont think I really caught onto card making until 5 years ago. The photos you shared are great!!!! Happy anniversary!
Congratulations on your anniversary Hero Arts! I am involved in stamping already for 15 years now. And I Love it so much! The reason I liked the idea of stamping is that it was my desire to be an artist, I would like to be a painter. But I misses the talent for it, so stamping was THE possibility to Create Art or something like that. Hero Arts was my first Love! One of the first Hero Arts stamps I bought was F3045 “Elegant Poppy” from 2004. In the summer of 2017 I was able to visit the Hero Arts store at their factory in Richmond; a highlight of my time in California! Thank you so much Hero Arts for all you do!