Thursday Drops: TWSBI ECO Carrara with Onyx Pre-Order, an ECO Serpentine Bronze Restock, and Yes, We Still Have Anterique!

That was quite a week! Topping off our one-year anniversary as a brick-and-mortar store, we had a rush on Anterique Ballpoints, combined with a new TWSBI pre-order opportunity for the Carrara + Onyx ECO Fountain Pen. The Carrera + Onyx model features white resin with a black swirl, and follows on the heels of the ultra-popular ECO Serpentine Bronze. (We currently only have the Serpentine Bronze in Broad and 1.1mm stub, but have more on the way, after I was concerned that they had sold out.)

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We’ve also restocked on many favorite iLootPaperie Washi Tapes, and have added tapes from other brands including CoraCreaCrafts and Well-Appointed Desk. We’ve also dramatically expanded our selection of sticky notes, index tabs, and document flags, just in time for planner season!

We will be open this week for normal hours, including from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. You can always check the main store page for updated hours and announcements regarding special events.

1. TWSBI ECO Carrara with Onyx Fountain Pen (Pre-Order). The latest TWSBI ECO release is now live and available for pre-order. This latest addition to the “Swirled Resin” collection features a gorgeous white with black swirl inspired by marble.

2. TWSBI ECO Serpentine Bronze Fountain Pen. I’m not sure that I’ve seen a TWSBI fountain pen fly off the shelves faster than the Serpentine Bronze fountain pen.

3. Anterique Ballpoint Pens. The Strategist strikes again! We’ve had a run on both the standard and brass versions of the Anterique ballpoints, which feature a .5mm Japanese low-viscosity ballpoint refill. You can read more about these from Tuesday’s posts, including links to the article in question.

4. Blackwing Volume 292: The Keith Haring Pencil. Blackwing’s latest release features Keith Haring’s famous dancing figures, paired with Blackwing’s balanced “Pearl” graphite. This is one of the better Blackwing collaborations I’ve seen, from one of my favorite artists.

5. Blackwing One-Step Long-Point Pencil Sharpeners. Easily the best-selling “curved” long-point pencil sharpener in our store, this not only leaves an exceptionally sharp point but has a receptacle to hold shavings.

6. Blackwing Pencil Essentials Set. This pencil essentials set includes one of each different type of Blackwing Pencil, as well as a long-point pencil sharpener and a Blackwing pencil cap - the two most popular Blackwing accessories. It’s a great way to experiment with the different graphites in the Blackwing lineup.

7. Viarco Vintage Pencil Set. Made in one of Europe’s last functioning pencil factories, Viarco pencils come in a half-dozen different designs inspired by Viarco’s creations from 1950s Portugal. You can grab a dozen of each with these sets.

8. iLoot Paperie Washi Tapes. We are restocked on nearly all of the iLootPaperie Washi Tapes, including many of the different snail mail and letter-themed designs that have proven popular over the years. We also have stationery and analog-themed enamel pins and buttons!

9. Laconic Tokyo A5 6-Ring Binders. Looking for a higher-capacity binder than some of the other options out there? This Laconic binder can work as an “archive” notebook to complement brands like Plotter and Filofax, or it can serve as a larger stand-alone planner binder.

10. Laconic Tokyo A5 6-Ring Binder Inserts. While we’re still waiting on the arrival of dated planner inserts (coming in October), we have plenty of stock of Laconic’s diverse array of undated A5 binder inserts in formats such as planners as well as “To Do,” Think, and other lifestyle and productivity layouts.

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Cloth & Paper Mosaic Sticky Notes

State of The Gentleman Stationer: One Year As a (Brick-and-Mortar) Shop Owner, Plus Upcoming Events!

The other day a customer asked how long we had been open, and it hit me that a YEAR had passed since the physical T.G.S. Shop opened its doors on Kenilwood Drive in Nashville. So how has it gone? Despite an “eventful” 12 months, I have zero regrets about making the decision to start a brick-and-mortar shop and grow The Gentleman Stationer further. It’s not only helped me to fulfill a lifelong goal of operating and running my own business, but has given me the opportunity to create a space in my hometown that I’ve always wanted to exist: a local shop exclusively focused on high-end stationery for actual writing. I figured today I should take a bit to reflect on all I’ve learned over the past year, and also share some exciting new developments and news on upcoming events!

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And to think this is where we were a year ago!

Five Things I’ve Learned from Running a Brick-and-Mortar Stationery Store

1. Your Local Pen Community Is Important. While it may seem as though all hobbies - even analog ones - are moving online these days, I can’t imagine doing this without my regular customers and pen club members who continue to show up every weekend like clockwork. Their patronage and enthusiasm not only supports the shop directly, but directly contributes to growing our local community as a whole. Having regulars hanging out and talking in the store spreads the word about things like pen club, pen shows, new products, and events, which not only translates to return business but a growing local pen community. Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club meetings and annual events such as the upcoming Pelikan Hub seemingly draw more attendees every year!

2. My Online Presence Is Equally Critical. Even for local businesses focused on local customers, having an online presence is crucial because even those who want to shop local use the internet to find their local stationery store. And while there will always be a few things I wish I had done differently, growing the retail business online before attempting a brick-and-mortar store is not one of them. Everyone advised me that it would take 6 months to a year for customers to really start to “find you,” and while the physical shop more than funds itself now, having the online business provided a safety net that helped me sleep at night during those first months.

3. Steady Growth Is Better Than “Going Viral.” I’ve intentionally focused on steady growth of the business at a pace that I find both sustainable and enjoyable to run. Yes, I could invest heavily in cultivating a presence on every social media network, attending multiple pen shows and out-of-town events per month while others ran the shop in my absence, and bringing in every trendy new pen or ink line that comes my way, but that’s not the kind of business I want to run. I enjoy being in the shop personally, and my business model is focused on heavy curation and offering those products that I understand and can recommend coherently. We’re expanding, but at a pace I’m comfortable with.

4. I Actually Enjoy Running Events. More on this below, but I really enjoy organizing and hosting gatherings. Every Saturday in the shop feels like a pen show! I’d like to expand the T.G.S. in-store experience to include things like brand takeovers, trunk shows, classes and workshops, and even analog-themed community events like pen club meetups, game nights, and/or book clubs. We are adding additional space and reorganizing our current location to make it easier for us to play host, so look for additional details and announcements in the coming month as we are getting closer to making this a reality.

5. I Need 36 Hours in the Day. For anyone who has ever worked for themselves, this is self-explanatory. Even at a “sustainable” pace, there’s always something else to do, and for me it poses somewhat of a risk to my mental health and stamina because when I’m really enjoying a project I want to work on it all the time. Finding more of a balance - and a true day off - is going to be a focus for the year ahead.

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For our initial event - and hopefully to kick off our new shop location - Shawn and Lisa are coming to visit! They’ve both been invaluable friends and colleagues over the past year, and I’m looking forward to hosting!

A Special Announcement for Next Month: Lisa Vanness and Shawn Newton In-Store October 17-October 19!

So what’s next? Now that the growth phase has slowed down a bit, as mentioned I want to start holding some in-store special events. First up is a weekend takeover featuring my friends Lisa Vanness of Vanness Pens and Shawn Newton of Newton Pens, who will be in-store the weekend of October 17 through October 19 so save the date if you plan to be in Nashville! Lisa will be bringing exclusive inks and other uncommon items from Japan (among other things), and Shawn will of course have his Newton Pens lineup. Please stay tuned for exact details, including possible special/expanded hours.

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Want to Hear More Stationery Talk and Behind-the-Scenes Stories? We’re Launching a Podcast!

Those of you in the T.G.S. Patreon likely already know about this, since you’ve had access to the first two “pre-episodes,” but Lisa Vanness and I are launching a podcast that will be released 1-2 times per month, focused not just on the retail side of stationery but on more in-depth discussion of the stationery we personally enjoy and how we use it. For now, the episodes are Patreon-exclusive but look for a public release sometime during the fourth quarter of 2025.

A special huge thank-you to all of you who have supported the Gentleman Stationer going back to 2014, and who have made all this possible, especially our Patreon Supporters who believe in us enough to provide monthly support via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Support goes beyond the monetary contribution - simply knowing that there is a dedicated group of people who believe in you and show up every month makes this worthwhile.

New Arrivals: Anterique Restock, Including the Brass Version!

Do you all remember when the New York Times/Wirecutter reviewed the Penco Perfection Ballpoint pen earlier this year, causing the pen to sell out instantaneously nearly everywhere? Well, the same thing happened last week, with an article by New York Magazine’s “The Strategist” prompting a run on longtime site and shop favorite Anterique. These vintage-style “clic” ballpoints come in dozens of colors, in both a standard plastic, bicolor, and brass-barrel versions. Mini versions and mechanical pencils are also available, along with extra refills. There are even highlighters that look like paint tubes.

I even did a YouTube video highlighting this brand. We were ahead of the times by a few years!

The brass pens had been out of stock for some time, but we recently received a shipment and we now have most colors available in both full size and mini. While these are in demand at the moment, we have a large stock so you should be able to get one even if certain colors run low. To read more on these excellent low-viscosity ballpoints, check out our past reviews and write-ups, in addition to the video linked above.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop (our online store) and pledges via the T.G.S Patreon Program. Come see these and more in our Nashville shop, where we are open from 1-6pm on Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday!

New on T.G.S. YouTube: Setting Up the Tom's Studio Wren Fineliner Pen

As I was setting up the new Tom’s Studio Wren display/testing station in the shop this past weekend, I filmed the process, including how to fill the pens, and talked a bit about what inks work best in fineliners like the Wren and the Tom’s Studio Lumos. If you’re not subscribed to the T.G.S. YouTube Channel, please consider checking it out, as I’m doing more video content on topics that better lend themselves to visual demonstrations. I hope you enjoy!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. If you enjoy our content, please consider supporting us directly. Many thanks!

Sunday Reading for September 21, 2025

1. Ask Me Anything About Fountain Pens or Stationery - Live Q&A (via dwrdnet). Derek held an AMA that ran for well over an hour!

2. 12 Pen Person Questions (via Rachel’s Reflections). Rachel answers the #12penpersonquestions challenge. I get the feeling that I’ll be posting more of these over the coming weeks.

3. #12PenPersonQuestions (via Pen Addict). Brad also goes through all 12 questions!

4. Laura Answers the #12PenPersonQuestions List (via Well-Appointed Desk). These are super-interesting to me. Working on my own responses!

5. GOLD is Gone! What’s Happening to the Pilot Vanishing Point (via Doodlebud). While we haven’t heard anything directly from Pilot USA - or at least I haven’t - some of the Japanese versions of the VP are being discontinued. Stay tuned, but the VP is not going away entirely despite internet speculation.

6. Video-Review: Lamy Safari (Ballpoint) (via Scrively). I personally love the Lamy Safari ballpoint, from the click mechanism to the refill, though if you’re not a fan of the M16 you can always sub in the Jetstream M17.

7. Yamamoto Bullet Jotter Notebook Review (via Pen Addict - Kimberly). We do still have some stock of the Yamamoto Bullet Jotters, but we’re running low on the refills which we do plan to restock. Each Jotter comes with one pad of Slight White and one pad of Soliste.

8. I Had to Learn to Not Finish Notebooks (via Stationery Pizza). Do you always finish notebooks, throw them out if they’re not working, or save them?

9. Visit to Evergreen Stationery (Great World Outlet) in Singapore (via Inkredible Colours). I love “standard” stationery stores like this one, especially when they have the old school office products like bells.

10. 2025 Colorado Pen Show and Other Upcoming Education Opportunities (via Fountain Pen Love). The Colorado Pen Show is next month, and while we’re at it, the Dallas Pen Show is next week! Both are great regional shows.

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In Case You Missed It….

I’ve continued paper week, building on the update to the “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper” with a post about my personal favorite papers that I like to use in my own writing life, as well as a post discussing 5 boutique brands that I’ve been experimenting with, and which I’m keeping an eye on to monitor paper consistency over time, though so far so good.

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Did I mention we are expanding into some additional space in our same location? Stay tuned.

This Week in the T.G.S. Curated Shop

Be sure to check out the latest arrivals from Tom’s Studio: The Lumos Pro Duo “Splash” series that comes in three 1980’s-inspired “Splatter” finishes, as well as a line of Titanium Lumos pens that are not only lightweight and durable but have a grippy brushed finish. On the paper side, we continue to have new arrivals from Midori, including a restock of the Codex A5, as well as a large shipment of Cloth & Paper Travel-style planners, sticky notes, and document flags/index tabs.

Other new items include the Dux Adjustable Brass Pencil Sharpener, with three settings for different graphite hardnesses and point styles, as well as a restock of many favorite iLootPaperie washi tapes, pins, and more.

Come see us in-store! We will be open this week normal hours, from 1-6pm on Thursday and Friday and 10am-6pm on Saturday. The online store is operational 24-7.

Tom's Studio

Blackwing

Midori

Dux

Consider Further Supporting T.G.S.! [New UPdates]

If you enjoy our content (whether here on the main website, Instagram, YouTube Channel or elsewhere), and would like early/extra access to shop releases and special promotions, consider supporting us via Patreon. We do our best to remain 100% self-supported without having to rely on third-party advertisers or affiliates. Of course, the number one way to help is to visit our curated retail shop either online (or in person, if you’re in the Nashville area)! The T.G.S. Patreon includes early access and discounts on exclusive shop releases (including the Taschenstift “Violet Tendencies” and the Roterfaden TGS_25), the quarterly gently used sales, a monthly updates newsletter, and of course our monthly meetups. This past week, paid Patreon supporters gained access to a new podcast experiment I’ve been working on with Lisa Vanness of Vanness Pens. More on this later, but for the time being the initial episodes are Patreon-exclusive.

Patreon support starts as low as $3 per month, and if you pay annually there is a further discount. As noted above, we’ve recently started a Discord community for all paid Patreon supporters.