This past weekend marked my third trip to NY Now and Shoppe Object, which taken together are the largest stationery trade show in the U.S. A bit of history: These two events are the successors to what was formerly known as the National Stationery Show. I don’t know the full story, but NSS was absorbed into NY Now, and I understand that Shoppe Object began when smaller, more boutique brands became frustrated with the cost of exhibiting at the Javitz Center in NYC. While held as separate events, both take place simultaneously (Sunday-Tuesday), with shuttles running between the different venues.
Object Index, a Japanese curated brand that seems similar to Mark’s Tokyo, displayed at Shoppe Object.
NY Now and Shoppe Object Are Pure Trade Shows, Not Pen Shows
The “Pen Shows” we typically write about and regularly attend are hybrid events. There’s certainly a convention/trade show aspect, with retailers attending shows to not only meet with their customers, but also to engage directly with distributors and makers. NY Now and Shoppe Object, however, are “trade shows” in the truest sense of the word, meaning that the shows themselves are “to the trade” (retailers, distributors, manufacturers, and press), with the show closed to the general public and on-site sales prohibited. To be honest, it’s a refreshing experience to be able to browse samples of goods without feeling pressured to purchase on the spot. As a retailer, you’re able to have more extended conversations with suppliers about current trends and the products consumers currently gravitate towards.
The emphasis on analog extended beyond pens. This display featured a huge selection of retro-style Braun alarm clocks.
What’s Driving Growth in the Stationery Industry? Right Now I Don’t Think It’s Fountain Pens.
My main observation from the weekend is that most of the stationery brands have moved to Shoppe Object. NY Now used to be the largest of the two shows, but of the brands I regularly carry, only the largest remain there (i.e. Lamy, Kaweco, Midori, etc.). Smaller makers, and even some of the more well-known manufacturers such as Leuchtturm, have moved, so I spent nearly a full day on Monday exploring Shoppe Object and discovered several new brands that I would consider bringing into the T.G.S. Curated Shop at some point in the future. I also had some excellent conversations with others in the industry about current stationery trends. A few observations from the weekend:
Fountain pens are a very small segment of the stationery world. Enthusiast-focused pen shows like those held annually in D.C. and San Francisco place much of the focus on fountain pens, but outside of online pen circles, writing instruments that can be used with the full spectrum of paper products - ballpoints, rollerballs, and pencils - get the most attention. This product category continues to grow rapidly. There’s a LOT of attention being paid to pencils and the ballpoint pen, especially low-viscosity ballpoint pens that use a Jetstream-style ink.
Journals, planners, and paper in general are driving the analog resurgence. Quality paper in practical formats and rulings has driven the growth of our own shop, and based on the volume of new products being developed and introduced, this trend appears global and doesn’t seem ready to slow down. In addition to more innovative takes on journaling, including several new “notebook systems”, I also noticed a focus on other “retro” products such as clipboards (LOTS of clipboards and portfolios) and even analog alarm clocks and, yes, more sandglasses.
Digital/tech fatigue is a real thing, and it will continue to fuel the market for analog tools. People feel distracted and overwhelmed by alerts, notifications, e-mails, and an entire industry that’s evolved to steal their attention span. Personally, I use paper notebooks at work - and always have - because they force me to work on one thing at a time and offer a respite from constant distraction. Based on what I heard from others in the industry regarding conversations they’ve had with their customers, the sale of “analog” products like planners and paper notebooks continue to soar specifically for this reason. Unsurprisingly, nobody was talking about the Apple face computer this weekend.
Stay tuned for more updates as items I’ve ordered begin to trickle in over the next few months. Even if I didn’t order everything for the shop, there’s plenty I saw that I want to review because I found the product intriguing. I may even return for the Summer market!
The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.
And of course, there will be more pens from Anterique Stationers, including miniature versions of their brass ballpoint and new colors of the full-size brass pen.
