Small shops across UK join in annual event for pen and paper geeks tomorrow
It’s a big day tomorrow, 3 August, for people who love their pens, pencils, sticky tape and notebooks as it’s a chance to celebrate their favourite indie shop thanks to Stationery Store Day.
Designed to honour and support all those small stores who keep stationery fans engaged, the event was the brainchild of Kristina Burkey, who runs Calliope in the Massachusetts town of Natick, in 2022.
And the third annual Stationery Store Day now has shops in 14 countries across the world signed up, including 11 retailers from the UK with Sarah Holmes leading the way at Elgin’s Pencil Me In: “We’ve taken part every year – last year we offered a discount but this year we’re going to offer a brand-new Pencil Me In stationery pack that’s yet to be launched. I literally just signed off the designs last week!”
She’s keeping her industry connections going by working with a Scottish-based company that she met at London Stationery Show, and will also be sharing her Google map of fellow independent stationery shops.
Sarah added: “It’s so all of our followers can locate their closest stationery shop and be able to support them on the day whether they’re taking part or not – and if I have enough time, I’m going to bake up some of my pencil biscuits to give out on the day to our customers!”
Event founder Kristina admits she’s a confirmed paper fanatic and has run Calliope for six years where she finds people asking for recommendations for stationery stores they can check out while on holiday, or if there is an indie shop near them.
She added: “When you Google stationery stores often what comes up is your closest Staples, and that’s not what we want. I saw a real desire from people to seek out independently-owned ones and for these shops to have a day where their owners can wave a flag and say ‘I’m over here, come visit’!”
Kristina picked the first Saturday in August where she’s aiming for people to visit their favourite local store – or two – for the special merch on offer along with fun activities and giveaways.
In Eastbourne, Abel Dos Santos has events planned at his All Things Analogue store: “We’ll have things going on at the shop during the day including creative activities and limited edition Stationery Store Day goodies.
“We’ll be putting together some mystery bags, free gifts with purchases and offering free personalisation on Traveller’s Company and Leuchtturm1917 notebooks bought on the day. The shop will be full of music and conversation, as always, and we look forward to welcoming new and familiar faces to celebrate with us down along the sunshine coast.”
Hunter Paper Co in Belfast took part in the celebrations for the first time last year with owner Ross Johnston commenting: “Stationery Store Day was a great boost for us last year and we’re excited to take part again this year. We’ll be running promotions and hosting a free journaling workshop to help spread the word.”
And Melanie McKay, who owns Lancaster’s Analog Shop, has decided to get in on the action for the first time: “We are super excited! We’ll be doing 10 spot prize gift bags all day worth £10 or more to celebrate Stationery Store Day – we’ve done similar in our yarn shop and the customers love it.”
Among those also joining in are Choosing Keeping, London; Draw Art Store, Glasgow; Papersmiths, Chelsea and Brighton; Paper Tiger, Edinburgh; Present & Correct, London; Stationery Supplies, Marple & Wilmslow; and The Completist, London, alongside stores in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, and Spain.
