I’m foregoing the weekly “Drops” post in favor of closing out the 2024 year-end recaps with a bit of a shop update! Last year was quite eventful - in addition to opening our brick-and-mortar location, we expanded our range of online offerings, and as we take year-end inventory it’s always fascinating to see what was popular (or not) during the prior year. Stationery can be a trend-driven industry - while there are always constants such as Pilot and Lamy, what sells one year might not be in demand the next, and something that sat on the shelf for six months in 2024 might all of a sudden get hot in 2025 as more people discover it. Based on this past year’s stats, here are the past year’s “Top Ten” (in no particular order, but rather loosely organized by product categories):
Tom’s Studio Lumos Pro Duo Refillable Fineliner. We’ve been carrying the Tom’s Studio Lumos fineliners for less than a year and they’ve shot to the top of our favorite products. The Lumos Pro Duo, which allows you to ink two tips at a time and ships with a set of 11 different tip options, is the best seller. Read more about why we like them here.
Lamy 2000 (All Iterations). My personal workhorse pen and the least surprising entry on this list. Even if you’re not a fountain pen person, the ballpoint, rollerball, multi pen, and mechanical pencil options are all excellent.
Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter. For those who like to rotate through different notebooks and not be wedded to a specific refill, the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter is a superb choice for a flexible planner/notebook cover. The recycled leather versions (LB23) are the most popular, in sizes A6 through A4.
Lochby Field Journal and Field Journal A5 Notebooks. Lochby saw a resurgence in popularity towards the end of the year, for those who like the versatility of the Roterfaden but may prefer a more rugged and/or non-leather build. The slim A5 notebooks feature 68gsm Tomoe River Paper in five different rulings, including two different types of lined rulings, dot, and even a planner layout.
NJK Long-Point Pencil Sharpener. The highest-volume seller in our entire store, these inexpensive long-point pencil sharpeners punch far above their weight class in terms of quality. Silver is currently the only color that remains in stock, but we still have a bunch and will look to restock later in the year.
Nakabayashi Yu-Sari Paper. Designed by Nakabayashi specifically for optimal fountain pen performance, the Yu-Sari paper is available in both notebook and looseleaf formats. I’ve found it to have a soft feel, and it handles ink beautifully.
Clairefontaine Looseleaf Paper. Though the single-sheet A4 is sold out (and will be reordered eventually), we have plenty of A5 sheets and A4 “double booklet” French-ruled looseleaf paper. The latter is a cool format that I discovered when I attended school in France many years ago, and are used by students for compositions, notetaking, and more.
Hightide Folding Metal Bookstands. One of our original products remains a best seller! These bookstands (which can also hold notepads, tablets, and more) are a fixture on my desk and in my travel bag.
Anterique Ballpoint Pens. We are happy to offer these excellent hybrid ballpoints in dozens of colors, in either the classic acrylic version or the upscale brass. Mini pocket pens are now available.
Pilot Iroshizuku Ink. What I remember as a “new release” from Pilot more than a decade ago has now become a stationery classic. Pilot continues to release new colors every couple of years, with the most recent versions
Our brick and mortar shop is open for regular hours Thursday through Saturday, and otherwise by appointment. For directions and specific hours, keep an eye on this page, which will also reflect any changes each week due to travel, etc. Also, our New Year’s Planner and Notebook System Promotion continues through tonight, so don’t miss out if you’re looking to try something new for 2025!