Given the level of response to the On the Paper Trail Pre-Pen Show Livestream and Episode 4: Recapping the California Pen Show, I thought it might be fun to offer a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of our prep for this week’s Arkansas Pen Show, held at the Wyndham Riverfront in Little Rock Friday through Sunday. We have plenty of new stuff that arrived this week, which we’ll be taking with us! Follow along as I sort through it.
A few of these have been out of stock for a while, and I was pushing to get them back in stock prior to Arkansas. Yes, Yamamoto Bank Paper is still with us and will be making an appearance.
My Pen Show Strategy - Lots of Paper and Accessories
I try to make the T.G.S. tables stand out at any show I attend, and that mostly means focusing on items that other vendors at the show are less likely to have, including store exclusives and other merchandise that customers want to see in person. For me, notebook systems and pen cases like Roterfaden, Yamamoto Ro-biki, and Lochby have been perennial hits at pen shows because it can be difficult to get a sense of how they work online and they demonstrate well in person. I also always try to bring fun items like the Hightide Sandglasses and Toyo Steel Boxes, as well as mechanical and woodcase pencils, which tend to be grossly underrepresented. Arkansas has always been a great show to shop accessories, as there are usually several vendors selling handmade leather notebook covers, journals and more. People ask me why I tend not to bring a broad range of fountain pens to pen shows, and the simple answer is that you can buy those elsewhere and I want my contribution to the show to be unique and additive.
Yes, we have a LOT of new Roterfadens in stock, coming to a pen show near you! We have A5 and A4, so be sure to check them all out.
Arkansas Isn’t a Suitcase Show, WHich Means The Table Will Look Different!
Later this month T.G.S. will be attending the San Francisco Stationery Fest, where we will be largely limited to what we can pack into two suitcases. Being able to load displays and collapsible crates into a car before driving a few hours is much more convenient and makes for a different show setup, so don’t be surprised if you see a different look to the T.G.S tables in Arkansas as opposed to San Francisco. For the Arkansas show I’m able to bring things like spinner displays and racks, which is better for displaying heavier paper and larger notebooks. Obviously, you can’t lug that stuff onto an airplane, so while I’ll likely have Roterfaden with me the San Francisco Stationery Fest is definitely going to be heavier on things like pencils, multipens and washi tape!
Yes, Canopus notebooks will make an appearance, freshly arrived from Japan!
Look for livestreams, videos, and more from this weekend’s festivities. While we’re out the store will be closed on Friday but open on Saturday! Be sure to check the Shop Hours page or the Google Profile for updates.