Welcome to the eleventh edition of my Supporting Small Businesses series. This time I would like to introduce you to a shop I have been visiting for some years, both online and in-store.
I had some time to kill in Shrewsbury a couple of weeks ago and as it was the first week of “non-essential” shops being allowed to open (due to COVID restrictions), I headed to my favourite shop in town… Write Here.
Write Here was founded in 2004 by John Hall to sell fountain pens and quality writing accessories. The shop is well known throughout the UK fountain pen community and provides excellent customer service.
An example of their wonderful and personal customer service is whilst I was in the shop (trying not to look at the fountain pens, but browsing the inks) an older couple were asking about and being shown mechanical pencils as they wished to buy one for their son. The staff member was very knowledgeable, ensuring their purchase would suit their son’s needs and confirming that they could buy the lead from any number of places.
You can never have too much ink (honestly!), so I decided to treat myself to a couple of bottles while I was in the shop (after all, I hadn’t been “proper” shopping in such a long time!). I picked up a bottle of Sailor Shikiori Shigure (I have a thing for purple ink) and a bottle of TWSBI Pink ink.
You can never have too much writing paper either, so I grabbed a pad of A5 Crown Mill Cream Vellum paper. It’s great for letters when using a fountain pen (which I always do).
As well as pens, pencils, ink and paper, the shop also sells a wide range of greeting cards, including some local ones. During my recent visit, I picked up three greeting cards, including one by Sunny Side Art – a Shrewsbury based company created by Linda Edwards & Nigel Elliot. I love Linda’s artwork. The cards feature illustrations that celebrate local Shropshire scenes, and this isn’t the first time I’ve purchased a Sunny Side Art greeting card.
Another sign of its great customer service, Write Here offers a pen repair and refurbishment service for clients who are having issues with their fountain pens. I have not yet needed to use this service myself, but I have often seen it recommended in fountain pen groups on Facebook when people have had issues with their pens.
Write Here also has an online shop (sadly, the greeting cards do not feature), although nothing quite beats an in-store visit. Standard UK delivery is free for orders over £20, but Write Here also offers international delivery.
Find Write Here at 10 High Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1SP or visit https://www.writeherekitenow.co.uk/
Back in 2018, Write Here kindly sent me a Lamy Al-star fountain pen and some matching ink – check out my review!
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Please note: I bought these items with my own money and I am in no way affiliated with Write Here.
I love the way you support these causes, Nikki. I don’t have a great need for ink though 🙂
That sounds like a great place, I love the name.
What a lovely shop and as the previous commenter spotted, a great name too! It is lovely to see that some of the smaller independent shops have managed to weather the year long Covid storm, when sadly so many have fallen by the wayside!
I am assuming that the online shop is only a representation of a larger stock offering available in store, I am especially thinking about notebooks when I say this, as those are always my ‘go to’ items!
I do miss my days of writing to penfriends, in italic writing, with proper ink. However no one I know would ever think of putting pen to paper, so I have probably lost much of the technique somewhere along the way!
Now I am beginning to feel slightly melancholy and nostalgic. Keep supporting and promoting those small businesses, you are an excellent ambassador for them 🙂
Thank you for your kind words 🙂
This is a shop unlike anything I can ever recall seeing in the US. It’s nice to know than communications penned in ink aren’t things of the past as they often seem to be here. I have a vague recollection of hearing that many local elementary schools aren’t even teaching cursive writing anymore 🙁
I too use a fountain pen, and I will certainly remember this place when it needs an overhaul – it has been serving me beautifully for years now.
That’s another shop I’m going to have to browse online. It’s a shame they don’t offer their greeting cards online though. I love that window, that would definitely draw me in if ever I was in Shrewsbury.
My handwriting has gotten TERRIBLE over the years, and it seems a fancy pen would be a waste. However, perhaps using something elegant instead of cheap would improve things.
Thanks for showing us this delightful store!
It’s clear why this store is a favorite of yours. I’d be more inclined to check out their pencil selection, but think it would be fun to browse everything. I haven’t thought about vellum in years. It was a staple in my “drafting days”.
That shop sounds heavenly, Nikki! I’ll be sure to check it out next time I’m in Shrewsbury – I adore Shrewsbury – which, fingers crossed, will be in 2022! xxx
Please do! I’m sure you won’t come out empty handed! 😀
The shop sounds wonderful. I can’t believe that I have never heard of it or noticed it on my visits to Shrewsbury.
It’s just up the street from the Square (carry on past Waterstones).
Seems like such a fabulous shop. I wish I could visit.
I’m glad that small, specialist businesses like this are surviving the pandemic. I wonder if it’s easier if you are very “niche”? Coffee shops are ten a penny but this sounds unique.
There doesn’t seem to be many shops like this these days, but they are always a joy to visit.
I love finding indie retailers like this – we have a similar one, Postscript, in Frome. The range of products and the personal service and knowledge is something you just can’t find in, say, a Paperchase or a Rymans.
It’s easy to see why you like this shop, as you so often talk about stationery. I love their window display, it’s so cute and inviting. Well done for supporting small businesses by both buying from them and talking about them too.
I love a fountain pen, sadly I don’t write letters anymore, most people I know prefer email.
That’s the first time I’ve ever known propelling pencils to be called ‘mechanical pencils’ – I had to look it up as I’d never heard the term before. My dad had a couple when I was a young kid and they fascinated me so when I got to secondary school he bought me one, I had it for years.
I love the shop front, I would definitely be photographing that one for my blog 🙂
I haven’t written a letter for years! I do send out greeting cards though, none as tasteful as yours. It looks like an interesting shop.
This sounds like such a lovely shop, all of the items look amazing and it’s so nice to get quality products like this and be able to shop small. It’s a shame that greeting cards aren’t on their online store but I’ll have to check them out for the other bits x
This looks like a shop both of us would love!
How I wish our town had more of these types of shops rather than the big retailers you see everywhere.
Not a fan of fountain pens it has to be said but when I’m writing a letter of importance it has to be Crown Mill Vellum paper.
This looks like a great few products. Thank you for sharing about a small business.