Mini Curiosity: Stationery Shop Day

Current Curiosities

[Reading] ​Object Lessons: Pencil by Carol Beggy

[Listening] "Dreams" The Cranberries 

[Watching] You've Got Mail


Today is the first Saturday in August, which means it's Stationery Store Day! Similar to Bookstore and Record Store Days, Stationery Store Day celebrates these often retro and niche shops and the folks engaged in analog writing and other paper crafts. 

To celebrate Stationery Store Day, here're a few of my favorites: 

• More Than Words, Moorhead, MN: Ever since Zandbroz in Downtown Fargo closed a year or two ago, the only real places to buy stationery are More Than Words, an adorable woman-owned bookshop, or Baker Garden & Gift, a nursery and gift shop in South Fargo. More Than Words offers a small sections of cards and notebooks and pen(cil)s, among other stationary oddities, intermingled with its collection of books. And while I do love Baker, especially during those subzero days of a Minnesota winter, I try to spend money only on the Moorhead side of the Red River.

• ​The Sketchy Artist, Northfield, MN: During the Pandemic when I lived in Northfield, The Sketchy Artist was my go-to for pens and pencils. This woman-owned shop sits across Division from Content Bookstore and Northfield Yarn and a block away from Little Joy Coffee - all favorites in this rural town filled with cows and colleges. 

 

• Wonder Fair, Lawrence, KS: Moderately twee and a little pretentious, Wonder Fair holds a special place in my heart. While wandering around the shop and checking out temporary art installations, I discovered Blacking 602s, which reignited my love of wood pencils. Wonder Fair, along with LFK's Ruff House Print Shop, became my go-to for letterpress cards (and personalized stationery).

• JetPens is my favorite online-only stationery shop and is my go-to for TWSBI fountain pens, bottled ink, and other stationery novelties. (See also Hightide DTLA)

• In Memoriam: CW Pencil Enterprise, owned and operated by Caroline Weaver for seven years out of an cute little NYC storefront, offered hard-to-find, vintage, and reliably basic pencils, among other stationary curiosities. After CWPE closed in 2021, Weaver launched The Locavore, a kind of curated community bulletin board that points readers toward NYC-based (analog) stores and events. 

Thank you very much for your time. If you have recommendations or curiosities, please fill out this nifty contact form.

Sending y’all supportive, well-caffeinated vibes,

Creighton 

Today’s Pen(cil): TWSBI Vac Mini with Sailor Manyo Sumire