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.

Five Boutique Paper Brands I'm Watching Closely and Why

Major paper brands don’t change much over the years. The predictability of brands like Midori, Clairefontaine, Maruman, Kokuyo, and others are a big reason why they remain so popular. You know what to expect, and larger companies (usually) manufacture their own products, so they buy paper in large quantities and maintain a healthy supply on hand in case of disruption. For example, this is why Hobonichi was able to continue producing its planners using the “old” Tomoe River Paper for years after it was discontinued.

Smaller boutique brands, on the other hand, usually have to outsource manufacturing and nearly always have to source their paper from a third party. As a small business owner myself, I know firsthand how difficult it is to source materials - especially when you can’t afford to purchase multiple years’ worth of supplies at once - and maintain consistent results from any sort of outside contractor. But as a retailer who sells many different brands, as well as an enthusiast who loves to support smaller makers, it also means that I have to periodically test certain smaller-batch products to make sure paper stock (and performance) hasn’t changed.

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Archer & Olive has one of the few hardback A5-Slim notebooks available.

Over the past year, I’ve made an effort to add to our curation smaller makers whose paper has been consistently high-performing, including with fountain pens. While I continue to watch any small boutique brand closely for things like paper stock, these five have performed consistently enough while I’ve had them in the shop that I can comfortably recommend them to anyone looking to try something different.

1. Notsu. I discovered Notsu by chance, when I was buying up samples of different brands of index cards looking for a dot grid layout with paper/cardstock capable of handling fountain pen inks. Not only have their index cards remained consistently good, but Notsu has been adding new formats and expanding their line of organizational accessories that almost make it an index card notebook system.

2. Lochby. I love Lochby’s waxed canvas covers and planners, but my favorite Lochby product line is the 68gsm Tomoe River Paper Notebooks. I’ve heard mixed rumors about whether or not the 68gsm Tomoe River Paper is still being made by Sanzen, so I’m encouraged by the fact that you cannot only still get it through Lochby but that Lochby is continuing to release new formats, including B5, TN (A5-Slim), and A7.

3. Levenger. As a lifelong user (sort of an exaggeration but not much) of Levenger products, I’ve learned to hoard their writing pads and Circa disc-punched paper when they source a good batch, because it has been inconsistent for fountain pen users over the years. The current version that we carry is wonderfully fountain pen friendly and I really hope that Levenger sticks with this paper supplier. If you’re looking for meeting-style or Cornell-ruled notetaking paper, the Annotation-ruled pads are a personal favorite.

4. Archer & Olive. I’ve only recently discovered Archer & Olive, which makes 160gsm notebooks that handle ink beautifully and are also really nice for writing. Best of all? Archer & Olive notebooks come in an A5-slim/TN/Traveler’s-equivalent hardcover format that’s the best I’ve seen since the old Soumkine notebooks. The notebooks come in either fabric or vegan leather covers, with a range of motifs. I’ve heard via customers who have used their products over the years that Archer & Olive has remained consistently good, so I’m likely going to bring in additional formats.

5. Anecdote. I picked up one of Anecdote’s buckram-covered A5 notebooks in a store somewhere in NYC years ago, and was thrilled to be able to add them directly to our store. While the paper seems to have changed a couple of times, it’s remained fairly fountain pen friendly for most nibs and inks, and the $20 price point makes this an attractive everyday notebook. Buckram behaves a lot like waxed-canvas in terms of texture and how it patinas.

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Smaller brands also experiment more with different formats, like this week-on-a-page planning pad from Notsu.

If you’d like to read more about fountain pen friendly papers and which ones I personally like, check out this long-running (and annually updated) post “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper”, as well as this post from earlier this week where I talk about my favorite of the fountain pen friendly papers.

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!

What's On Your Desk? My Personal Favorite Papers for Fountain Pens, 2025

Over the weekend I updated the long-running post “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper” to reflect new products on the market and changes in availability of certain papers that I consider “fountain pen friendly”. I don’t believe that I’ve ever written a designated post discussing my personal favorites from that list, so here goes!

How I Use Paper and How It Affects My Preferences

Because this post addresses my own personal preferences, I should probably talk about what those are first. For my personal writing, I enjoy using more textured, relatively absorbent paper with a softer writing feel. My primary considerations are (relatively) quick dry times and the ability to write on both sides of the page. Because I use a lot of planners and ring or disc notebooks, I also value perforated pages, or at a minimum, paper that comes in tear-off pads or looseleaf sheets that can be hole-punched or cut down to different sizes. What don’t I pay a lot of attention to (at least beyond the basics)? The nuances of ink color and shading/sheen/shimmer, since most of my writing is more functional and not retained long-term, and also because I think Midori MD Cotton - my favorite - does a more than adequate job with ink. Three of the papers on this list are long-timers (both Midoris and the Tomoe River 68gsm), and two are recent additions (Soliste and Maruman Basic).

1. Midori MD Cotton. My all-time favorite writing paper, even if it mostly comes in blank, unruled notebooks and writing pads. Midori MD Cotton strikes an excellent balance between absorbency and ink-friendliness, will dry relatively quickly without feathering or bleeding, and for those who do value color reproduction, actually does a pretty nice job of showcasing inks. I was sad to hear at this year’s San Francisco Pen Show that Plotter is not going to continue to make the A5 and Bible-sized refills featuring the MD Cotton Paper with letterpress ruling, which is what is shown in the pictures here.

2. Yamamoto Soliste. A relatively new paper that Yamamoto has popularized, the off-white Soliste is uncoated and textured, yet not quite as absorbent as MD Cotton Paper. I find that it has a soft feel, which is especially noticeable when used in notebooks like the Yamamoto Ro-Biki system. If you enjoy the feel of papers like Iroful or Cosmo Air Light, but desire something slightly less “spongy” (for lack of a better term) consider giving Soliste a try.

3. 68gsm Tomoe River Paper. Each year, as we watch the “classic” 52gsm Tomoe River Paper undergo production changes and reformulations, I worry about the 68gsm version, which is my favorite of the two. Slightly heavier, and in my opinion, more textured with better dry-times and performance for everyday writing, this is my favorite paper to use in A5-Slim/Traveler’s-size notebooks ever since Lochby introduced its own “Voyager” refill. Currently, third-party companies Lochby and Odyssey notebooks are the only ones who I know who are using the 68gsm version in large quantities, and I worry that eventually it will run out since I don’t believe it is being produced any longer. Hopefully I’m wrong.

4. Midori MD Paper. I would also include Plotter paper under this header. While standard Plotter paper is marketed as a different product and has a different formulation, it comes from the same product family and for my purposes behaves similarly. I love Midori paper for the variety of layouts, ranging from blank or grid pads to dot grid colored paper to memo blocks to letter pads.

5. Maruman Basic (70 gsm). I was late to the party on this one, but I was happy to discover this cost-effective fountain pen friendly paper that I enjoy using for work. Slightly lighter weight than Maruman Mnemosyne, I don’t see much of a drop off in performance, and the sturdy spiral binding and chipboard cover has held up well in my bags. Also: perforated pages! I can’t emphasize how nice that is!

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I wish Midori would expand its use of the cotton paper, like the limited edition Plotter refill shown here. MD Cotton is my personal ink swatching paper of choice, even if some would argue that it darkens the colors.

If I’m drawing or playing around with ink purely for personal enjoyment, there’s a 90+% chance I’m using Midori MD Cotton. For notetaking and everyday work, however, I will probably be using the Maruman Basic Spiral Notebooks or some version of Midori MD Paper (including the various Plotter refills). These papers strike a good balance between performance and cost-effectiveness, and come in a wide range of different rulings and formats.

If I had one recommendation to those looking for that “perfect” paper: test as many different papers as you can. Paper is still relatively inexpensive, so it’s easy to buy a handful of different notebooks and samples to dial in your preferences once you have a general idea of your overall needs and what you think you like. Pen clubs and shows are often great places to test out different papers, as people are usually willing to share. Finally, we keep samples and testers of most papers available in our shop, so if there is something you’d like to see or write on, I will often be able to go get it for you. It gives you a reason to come see us!

Our brick and mortar store is open this week from 1-6pm Thursday and Friday, and from 10am-6pm on Saturday. You can of course always shop with us online, 24-7!

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Maruman Basics Dot Grid Paper: An everyday workhorse.

My Favorite Pencils: 2025 Edition

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve published any sort of “Favorite Pencils” list - lately many of you have been reminding me of this fact - so it’s time to revisit what is probably my second-most-used category of writing instruments. For purposes of this list, I’m going to mix woodcase and mechanical pencils to actually reflect what I’ve been using on a daily basis.

Note that this list is not intended to be a “Best Pencils” recommendation list, though I think all of these are very good. If you’re looking to get into quality writing pencils for the first time, check out our “Best Pens” Guide (which has a “Pencils” section). Today’s post is more of a discussion of what I personally have been enjoying, which is not necessarily what I would recommend to someone else.

1. Lamy CP1 “Twin Pen.” I’ve only recently discovered this 2-stage “multi pen” that combines a .5mm mechanical pencil with one D1 ballpoint. It’s an interesting format, and one that I’ve been using more around the shop. It lets you switch quickly between a pen and pencil, and since there’s only one pen option, there’s no paralysis-of-choice with respect to which ink color you’re going to use.

2. Camel Pencils. While the integrated eraser is cool, the two main reasons I love Camel pencils for everyday writing are (1) the relatively dark, not overly-smooth graphite and (2) the rounded hex barrel and smooth clear lacquer, which makes this pencil incredibly comfortable to hold. I also still have a personal stash of an old C.W. Pencil Enterprise 2B exclusive, which features a round barrel.

3. Blackwing Matte (i.e., “The Original,” MMX, "Black”). The original “new” Blackwing remains my favorite, even over the Blackwing 602. While the closest graphite equivalent is a 4B grade, the Blackwing Matte is remarkably non-smeary for a pencil this dark and I use it for writing in addition to sketching. Blackwing has also recently released red and green-barrel versions, and the soft core has been incorporated periodically into the Volumes series.

4. Pilot S20 .5mm Mechanical Pencil. I’ve raved about the S20 ballpoint, but I’ve only recently been able to get my hands on the mechanical pencil version. Both have the same “inverted hourglass” silhouette, which molds to my hand. The S20 Ballpoint and S20 Mechanical Pencil are rapidly becoming almost as critical to my everyday carry rotation as the Lamy 2000 fountain pen and Multi Pen.

5. Uni Kuru Toga KS or Alpha Gel Switch. I’ve tried the more expensive versions of Uni’s flagship mechanical pencil, like the Kuru Toga Dive, but I keep going back to the basic (and inexpensive) Kuru Toga KS and Alpha Gel models because I don’t have to worry about misplacing them around the house and the shop, or when I travel. While not a necessity, the Kuru Toga’s lead-rotation mechanism ensures that the point wears evenly, which not only keeps the lead sharp but reduces breakage. As I’ll discuss further below, I’ve been experimenting with softer mechanical pencil leads up to 4B, so this has come in handy.

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Why the move towards mechanical pencils? A lot of it has to do with convenience. As I’m moving around the shop, checking inventory, working on purchase orders/accounting, etc., it’s easier to work in pencil, and sometimes I don’t want to stop to manually sharpen a woodcase pencil. Though I tend to prefer darker graphite, I’ve brought in some mechanical pencil leads in softer grades. Currently, I probably wouldn’t recommend anything beyond 2B to customers for everyday writing, but if you are adventurous, I’ve personally been able to use 4B!

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Writing samples on the wonderfully toothy Appointed paper (great for graphite). Wood pencils sharpened with a NJK long point sharpener.

The last time I did a list like this was in January 2021, four-and-a-half years ago. Since today’s list looks completely different, it might be reasonable to ask whether I no longer enjoy the pencils on earlier versions. That’s not the case at all - I actually still use many of those pencils - but my life has changed quite a bit, and so have my needs, thus the greater emphasis on mechanical pencils. This is a great time to be a pencil fan, and I believe that overall selection and quality has increased in recent years, making it much more difficult to pick favorites.

If you enjoy our content, please consider supporting us by shopping our online store, visiting us in person at our Nashville storefront, or supporting us via Patreon.

Ask TGS: New Notebook Systems Informational Resource Page

As part of the ongoing site refresh of the various T.G.S. informational resources, I’ve created a page specifically dedicated to notebook systems and select blog posts and YouTube videos from over the years. I regularly receive questions from readers and customers who are considering investing in a notebook system and want to be sure they are choosing the best one for their specific needs, so a resource such as this one is probably long overdue. I plan on updating it as I work on new content, some of which is specifically designed to fill the gaps in what already exists here. I hope you find it helpful.

Don’t forget that all weekend, we are running a special on planners and some notebook systems in the shop! Take an extra 10% off your order with the coupon code “FIREFLY” at checkout, and come see us in-store. We are here Saturday until 6pm.