About Us

The Card Bureau is a woman and immigrant owned stationery and gift company. We got our start in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington DC selling DC-themed greeting cards in local bookshops in 2016. Since then, we've expanded to offer more products in more stores across the country. The ideas behind our greeting cards and gift items are inspired by politics, feminism, and current events. 

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I started The Card Bureau in 2016 as a creative while I was covering the elections as a political journalist. It began with a $60 initial investment and a desire to make feminist & politically progressive stationery products that didn’t already exist. My first line, featuring Ruth Bader Ginsburg, quickly gained traction, with RBG herself becoming a fan and customer.  Soon after, the company took off and we now sell in thousands of stores across the country. 

Building this business has been challenging but immensely rewarding. Our products have shaped pop culture, with one of our buttons in the Smithsonian archives and over the years, we’ve had designs go viral worldwide. We're grateful to the DC community and our customers across the country for their support and love, which has fueled our journey from a small startup to a celebrated brand.

Please also check out our other brand, TOKA and our fulfillment company, Shipfluence.

 

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JANIE VELENCIA
Founder & CEO

Janie is a recovering journalist turned greeting card entrepreneur. A Michigander, (though she was born in Albania and immigrated to the U.S. at 5 years old) she moved to Washington to work in politics after graduating from the University of Michigan in 2013. She started The Card Bureau in 2016 as a side hustle that served as a creative outlet from election coverage. As a journalist Janie has worked for FiveThirtyEight, Huffington Post, and CQ Roll Call/Economist. Now she just writes copy for cards. Janie enjoys making products that help people think, laugh and connect with those they care about.