CHICAGO — Grab a pen and write this down: The second annual worldwide Stationery Store Day is this Saturday.
On this, the most hallowed of all days for letter senders and journalers around the globe, you’ll be able to snag great deals on merchandise at certain stationery stores.
Kristina Burkey, the owner of Calliope stationery store in Natick, Massachusetts, started the holiday last year after constantly being asked where independent stationery stores are in different cities.
“When you Google ‘stationery stores’ often what comes up is your closest Staples,” Burkey writes on the Stationery Store Day website. “And that’s not what we want. I saw a real desire from people to seek out independently owned stationery shops and for these shops to have a day where their owners can wave a flag and say ‘I’m over here!! Come visit!’”
Think of Stationery Store Day as the writing version of Record Store Day or Independent Bookstore Day. Participating local shops will welcome you with custom merch, deals, pop-ups and more.
“My favorite part of the day, and summer in general, is looking up cool indie shops where I’m traveling and finding something I didn’t even know I was looking for,” said Julie Horowitz-Jackson, owner of Virtu, a gift boutique at 2035 N. Damen Ave.
And she’s not the only one excited. Many of Chicago’s independent stationery shops are showing up in full force for Stationery Store Day.
“We’re thrilled to have a day dedicated to celebrating stationery and those who make it and love it,” said Eric Campbell and Tyler McCall, owners of Andersonville’s Paper & Pencil, 1480 W. Berwyn Ave. “Stationery connects us with ourselves and with one another, whether it’s a notebook we use for journaling, a pen we always use in work meetings, or a greeting card we send to a friend when they’re celebrating or grieving. Stationery Store Day is the perfect day to buy a cute new notepad, grab a stack of cards for your friends’ upcoming birthdays or find your new favorite pen.”
Here’s where you can snag some deals on stationery staples like pens, cards, stickers and more:
a. favorite design, 4432 N. Kedzie Ave.: Letterpress demos with an antique press set up for customer use, a free gift with every purchase, a free tote with a $50 purchase (while supplies last), a free tote filled with stickers and a roll of Stationery Store Day washi tape with a $100+ purchase (while supplies last), stationery-themed refreshments, raffles and Stationery Store Day 2023 merch for sale, including die-cut stickers, sticker sheets, two different washi tape designs and totes.
All She Wrote, 825 W. Armitage Ave.: Stationery Store Day postcard and sticker with every purchase and mystery card bags at $15 for five cards. If you spend $50, you’ll be entered to win one of five Stationery Store Day totes filled with $150 worth of products.
Atlas Stationers, 227 W. Lake St.: Save 15% with code STATIONERYSTOREDAY both online and in-store. Atlas will have exclusive Stationery Store Day swag for in-store shoppers.
Bari Zaki Studio, 3858 N. Lincoln Ave.: Customers who purchase $50 or more will receive a Bari Zaki Studio gift of a 1/2″ stack of 3 x 5” drawing paper, held together with a medium butterfly clip covered in Japanese decorative paper, a pencil covered in Japanese decorative paper and a Stationery Store Day postcard and sticker. Customers who purchase $100 or more will receive all the above plus a Stationery Store Day tote.
Paper & Pencil, 1480 W. Berwyn Ave.: Pop-up sidewalk market featuring Chicagoland stationery makers, deals, giveaways and in-shop freebies.
Virtu, 2035 N. Damen Ave.: Extended hours, sidewalk sale, cards and wrap for $3, mystery bags of 10 cards and Stationery Store Day merch.
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