Posted by Hero Arts
on April 19, 2019
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!
258 comments
In 1974 I was a sophomore in high school! Wowza! I started stamping when I started card making—maybe about 15 years ago. I really got active with it when I got my MISTI. Thanks for the chance to win! Happy 45th!
I started stamping around 2009, I think it was. I started papercrafting by scrapbooking and then transitioned to cardmaking and stamping.
Love the “Parts of a rubber stamp” explanation! I can remember buying stamps while on holiday in Hong Kong in 1991 so I probably started stamping then!
I started stamping in October of 2018. Prior to that I was using stickers and digital art purchased online to decorate my planner. Honestly, I was afraid to learn to stamp, I resisted learning something new that I might love and further reduce my retirement fund 😊. But here I am, absolutely loving this newfound card making hobby that also translates to my planning life. Your stamps are unique and exceptionally made. I am happy to have joined the party. Congratulations on your anniversary.
I am fairly new to stamping. I just started getting into it about a year ago. Some of my favorites are from Hero Arts. I love the layering stamps. I recently bought the caterpillar layering stamp. Happy 45th Anniversary Hero Arts! Wishing you many more years of success!