Atlanta Pen Show Ryan Krusac — I didn’t get nearly as much time to wander, but one of my friends brought this purchase from Ryan Krusac by the table. Gorgeous.

2025 Atlanta Pen Show Recap: Time for a Reboot (Plus a Note on Tariffs)

April 9, 2025

I want to start by saying that I had a great time at the Atlanta Pen Show this past weekend, and overall T.G.S. did very well at this event. Despite all the economic uncertainty, our community is vibrant, energized and supportive, and I have no doubt pen shows and the community as a whole will come through this latest crisis. In my view, if the 2008 financial crisis and the multi-year pandemic shutdown didn’t kill shows, they must have a pretty strong foundation and people will figure out how to keep them going. For most of us (myself included), this isn’t a hobby, it's part of who we are and how we think and work, and I plan to do whatever I can to stick around and pull through and make sure readers and customers continue to have as wide a selection as possible for their stationery experience.

That said, more than the depressing state of world affairs cast a pall over the 2025 Atlanta Pen Show. The show was not nearly as well-run as in years past. The vendor and seminar lists were never updated (even now the site shows 2024 names), no seminars were even held, and there was a lot of confusion among potential attendees about whether the show would even take place. This wasn’t an economy issue - it was purely on the showrunners. While the organizers certainly dropped the ball for 2025, I don’t expect these problems to continue next year as I understand they were plagued by a lack of available help, which is already being addressed.

Tri Star Studios Setup at the Atlanta Pen Show — Tri Star Studios attended as a vendor for the first time. I ended up buying a pen from Scott, who also had ceramics from Tracy Cullen Pottery. See Saturday’s post for details.

While it’s never fun when a show doesn’t run smoothly, I still had a blast. I’ve never had a table at the Atlanta Pen Show, and like the Arkansas Pen Show, I really enjoyed getting to meet so many long-time customers in person. As long as my family schedule permits, I will continue to return. Despite organizational snafus, there was a good mix of vendors, including many independent makers showing for the first time, though the show did lack a major source of ink because both Vanness and Dromgoole’s could not attend this year.

TGS Atlanta Pen Show Table Setup — I’m perfecting the art of the one-table setup. :)

T.G.S. also had a good show, business-wise. As I discussed post-Arkansas, my goal for shows is to bring goods that other vendors don’t tend to focus on, including non-fountain pens like the ever-popular Tom’s Studio Lumos and Wren series, notebook systems from Roterfaden and Lochby, and more unusual niche inks. (This past weekend I brought inks from Teranishi and Tom’s Studio.) I had several people comment on the selection and express appreciation for doing something different, which makes me think I’m on to something. :)

Pen Show After Hours in the Bar — I was most disappointed that the bar no longer had any beer on tap. And ran out of most bottles on Friday.

Response to Reader Questions: What About Tariffs?

Like many other retailers, I’ve been fielding inquiries since the weekend about how U.S. tariffs will impact the pen industry and U.S.-based retailers. Unfortunately, I have to say that the likely impact is obvious: there will almost certainly be higher prices in the future if the current tariff rates hold. Most of the industry is, at least for now, import-dependent. While there are some stationery products that are made in the U.S.A., even these may have ties to imported components and raw materials, machinery, and other elements of the supply chain that are not immediately obvious. Please remember that retailers have very little control over prices, which tend to be dictated by manufacturers and/or distributors. Most of us sell our goods at the lower end of the permissible range at whatever markup is necessary to support a viable margin that allows us to keep the lights on. The prices we charge are directly impacted by the prices we are charged, and contrary to some of the speculation I have seen in various pen forums, stationery is not a high-margin business capable of completely absorbing tariffs of this magnitude. Brick and mortar retailers have even slimmer margins due to overhead costs.

TGS Post-Pen Show Restock Photo — Post pen-show and restocking chaos. We will be cleaned up and ready to go by Thursday, and the brick and mortar shop will be open Thursday-Saturday for the foreseeable future. Check out this page to stay up to date on hours.

That said, I believe that it’s also unlikely the current tariff rates will hold. [Edit: They’ve been paused as of 4:00pm on 4/9. Guess we’ll talk again in 90 days?] The more plausible scenario is that over time, they will be negotiated down to something that still stings but will be more manageable. Most retailers and distributors have likely been stocking 4-6 months worth of inventory - if not more - to ride out the initial turbulence, but for things like limited edition releases that need to be ordered in the next several weeks, it may be a different story. I try to be transparent so I will keep everyone updated as I hear more about how the industry is responding, but for now it’s fair to say that nobody really knows how this will all shake out.

Many thanks to everyone who has expressed support and/or concern, and I’m extremely grateful for your patronage! T.G.S. is in a good position, and because we’re small with lower overhead than most we will be nimble enough to adjust as circumstances dictate. In addition to having a large supply of most major brands, we try to stock a range of goods across many different price points to ensure that people will be able to continue to enjoy their stationery no matter the circumstances.

Come see us in person this weekend! Our physical shop is open Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, and 10-6pm on Saturdays.

5 Reasons Why General Stationery Is Important at Pen Shows

April 2, 2025

Pen Shows and “Stationery Fests” have been drawing growing numbers of attendees, as more people discover these events and, in general, turn to analog as a way to push back against ever-encroaching digitalization of life. When longstanding events - pen shows in particular - start to change, you always hear a certain amount of griping. A few years ago the complaints centered around how shows were focusing more on modern pens, as opposed to vintage fountain pens. Today, you’re more likely to hear talk about the growing presence of “stationery” (i.e., not just pens, but the broader category of journals, planners, letterpress cards, pencils, and more), and the fact that fewer vendors are showing up with pure fountain pen displays. While some may not like this development, for several reasons, which I discuss below, I don’t think that it’s a bad thing at all. Great, in fact, because it helps grow our community!

General Stationery Expands the Community By Drawing in People with Different Interests. I’ve long believed that if we want pen shows to continue to grow and be sustainable, they need to expand their appeal beyond the fountain pen enthusiasts who started the shows and who have continued to form the core of show attendance. Opening up the shows to different types of vendors by encouraging existing vendors to bring a broader range of products to shows creates a broader and more stable attendee base.
A Range of Less Expensive Items Allows More People to Participate in the Fun. While there certainly are less expensive fountain pens, some people - especially new pen and paper enthusiasts - aren’t yet comfortable spending even $15 or $20 on a pen. Having a selection of excellent stationery products in the $2-5 range encourages newbies to participate in the show experience and lets everyone had the chance to take home something fun, whether it be a fine-tipped Japanese gel pen or a roll of washi tape.
Expanding into Non-Fountain Pens Makes the Show Experience (and the Entire Industry) Less Sensitive to Price Fluctuations. So what happens if prices skyrocket due to tariffs or other price pressures, and there are high-end fountain pens are less economically accessible? Well, because general stationery (gel pens, ballpoints, washi, notebooks, etc.) can be relatively inexpensive, demand for these products might be less sensitive to the price swings that could be coming. (i.e., a gel pen increasing from $3 to $3.75 feels like less of a big deal than a $400 fountain pen increasing to $500). I suspect that if we see steep price increases due to the tariffs that were just announced, traditional pen shows could start to feel more like general “stationery festivals” catering to a more cost-conscious consumer. Of course, some would argue that buyers on the higher end are less price-sensitive to begin with, so all we can really do is wait and see what actually ends up happening.
For Those of Us Who Use Our Pens Everyday, We Like to See Complementary Products and Accessories in Person. And, perhaps, view them together with the accessories we plan to buy or already own so that we can better pair our planners, notebook covers, pen cases, and more. In recent years, I’ve been most excited to see more case and bag manufacturers (like Rickshaw) attend shows and give people all sorts of options for bringing home their new pens.
Encouraging Vendors to Diversify What They Sell Leads to a Better Result for both Vendors and Attendees. I’ve always wondered why people try to sell the same pens and ink that everyone else at the show is carrying. Be unique, which not only gives people a reason to shop with you (and remember your table) but also offers attendees a fun show experience. My tables at the recent Arkansas show were somewhat unusual, in the sense that I decided to bring those things particular to my shop, like Roterfaden, Anterique, Tom’s Studio Lumos Fineliners, and assorted multi-pens. (I know I’m not the only one who carries these things, but at shows they do tend to be under-represented.) I’m planning something similar for Atlanta this weekend!

Washi Tapes Pen Show Prep — Ask for the “special washi”. I have lots of it.

So what’s in store for the Atlanta Pen Show? For starters, I’ll be bringing what’s left of my current Roterfaden stock, my Traveler’s Notebook setup, Lochby cases, and all of my recently arrived Uni gel pens and Jetstream Multi Pens. I’ll have some fountain pen options as well, and maybe some washi tape surprises! While the Atlanta Pen Show website is a touch behind schedule, and I can’t see an official layout, I understand that I’ll be next to Hinze Pens in the first room.

Is there anything you all would like me to bring to the show? Anything you wish dealers would bring more of to pen shows and events in general? Drop a comment! Also, we will have regular hours tomorrow (Thursday) in our Nashville shop from 1pm-6pm before I have to take off for Atlanta.

Behind the Scenes: Preparing for the First Pen Show of the Year

March 19, 2025

It’s time for the Arkansas Pen Show, which will be the first pen show that I attend in 2025. Since we’ve opened our own brick-and-mortar shop, I’ve been operating on a reduced travel schedule, but I’m still planning on taking T.G.S. to at least a couple of shows this year. Despite it being a smaller, regional show, Arkansas has a lot to offer that the bigger shows do not. More on that later.

Hightide Sandglasses TGS Pen Show Table — One year I brought the Hightide Sandglasses to Arkansas and they were a big hit. One reason I enjoy this show is because it’s within driving distance, and I can be a bit more creative with what I pack.

How I Pack For a Pen Show As a Vendor

Whenever I pack and prepare for shows, I carefully consider exactly what I’m going to bring. My tables are usually organized around notebook systems such as Roterfaden, Lochby, and Traveler’s Notebooks, since those are all items many people enjoy seeing in person before purchasing, particularly if they are having a difficult time selecting a specific color or refill. I also make a conscious effort to bring pens, pencils, and other writing instruments that I know other vendors probably won’t have at the show, as opposed to more common brands like TWSBI and Lamy that nearly everyone carries. Past show favorites have included the entire Anterique line and all the Uni Jetstream variants that we import from Japan. Despite most U.S. pen shows being focused on fountain pens, recent years have seen more general stationery enthusiasts attend shows, and they tend to appreciate the additional options. This year in Arkansas I will have two tables (up from one last year), so you can expect a bigger selection and more room to browse.

Shawn Newton Pens Arkansas Pen Show — Pens such as the Newton Prospector (bottom row) are typically made in very small batches, so if you see one you like in a special material, you’ll want to pick that pen up earlier than standard releases from larger companies, where there might be more available.

How to Prepare for a Pen Show as an Attendee

A smaller pen show like Arkansas or Atlanta is easier to prep for as an attendee than a larger show like San Francisco or the D.C. Pen Show. You don’t need to worry about “missing” anything, as there are fewer vendors. You can easily visit every table in a single day, and certainly over an entire weekend. Vendors usually have more time to spend with each customer, since the tables aren’t always slammed, and I’ve personally always enjoyed the ability to have more engaged conversations with customers who come to see me at the smaller shows. Last year I actually wrote a piece after the 2024 Arkansas Show discussing the benefits of smaller shows.

Pen Shows After Dark — You really won’t believe some of the things you see in the bar after-hours.

But regardless of the show you are attending, there are three main things I always advise people to prepare for, at a minimum:

Nib Grinds and Repair Work. Regardless of how big a show is, nib grinders and vintage pen repair appointments can fill up fast. If you have work that you absolutely need to get done, identify who you want to work on your pens and make their table your first stop. If there’s an “early access” pass available, buy it to ensure you’re near the front of any wait list.
Visit Smaller Makers Early. Especially if you are looking for a less-common model or special material, because one-offs and less common items can sell out quickly. Bespoke penmakers sometimes only have one rod of a given resin or other material.
Take Breaks. Even smaller shows can be overwhelming, especially for those who haven’t been to a pen show before. Don’t spend all your money in the first hour (unless of course, you only have an hour to spend). And most of all, be sure to make an effort to hang out for just a little while after the show closes! You’d be shocked at the knowledge you pick up around the table in the hotel bar, especially if you’re interested in more esoteric nib grinds and vintage pens.

I’ve been to many pen shows over the years, and the site has nearly a decade of show recaps that you can read through in the blog post archive. I’ve also written a “Pen Show Primer” Series of Articles, including Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show. Some of these articles have some age on them, but I stand by pretty much all of the advice!

Please note that our brick-and-mortar shop will be closed Thursday through Sunday of this week since we will be in Arkansas. We will reopen with regular hours next week. Online orders will continue to be processed in our typical 2-3 business day time frame. Many thanks for all your support, and I hope to see as many of you as possible in Arkansas!

2024 D.C. Pen Show Recap and Class Resources

August 7, 2024

Many thanks to everyone who came out and stopped by our table at this year’s D.C. Pen Show! It’s always enjoyable to meet readers in person and to put faces to names, and it never ceases to amaze me just how many people share this passion of ours. The 2024 D.C. Pen Show was easily the largest pen show I’ve been to in terms of number of vendors, and I suspect that once the attendee numbers come in, they’ll confirm that the show is still growing and has recovered from the “Pandemic lull” in attendee traffic.

DC Pen Show Third Ballroom on Sunday — A shot of the third ballroom on Sunday afternoon, as everyone was starting to pack up.

Three Full Ballrooms of Pens, Inks, and Paper

I’ll be honest with you up front: The show was so busy that I saw very little of it - other than what I could see from my table - until Sunday afternoon. When you’re a full-time vendor trying to make a go of it as an actual business, it’s a very different show experience. I didn’t buy a single pen all weekend, which is the first time that’s ever happened. That said, if I had actually had the time to explore, it likely would have ended up as a financial disaster. This year there were three full ballrooms full of exhibitors: the main ballroom with major brands and retailers, a smaller “second” ballroom that mostly housed independent makers, and a third ballroom down the hall that featured most of the international attendees, including show favorite Galen Leather! Additional vendors were packed into the main entrance and hallways.

Matthew Chen from Matthew's Nibworks grinding nibs — Table neighbor Matthew Chen was grinding away at nibs all weekend!

Fantastic Pens at the 2024 DC Pen Show — Fantastic Pens was attending their first pen show! They definitely raised the bar on the sign game.

Good Made Better Pocket Pens in Ebonite — I picked up one of the Good Made Better ebonite pocket pens at the Chicago Pen Show. Dan has continued to perfect the design, all of which feature a faceted cap with a matte-finished ebonite.

Good Made Better Pocket Pens (2) in Ebonite — I almost snagged that yellow ebonite pen, but I was good.

Schon DSGN Full-size fountain pen show special — The latest from Schon DSGN! I think this pen was a new release for the show.

Ink Swatches from Van Diemans and Octopus Fluids at the Vanness Table — I shared table space with Vanness Pens, and Ana Reinert from the Well-Appointed Desk was swatching inks from Octopus Fluids, Van Diemans, and Laban all weekend!

Hinze Pens brought these new plated nib designs!

I delved into this a bit more in my Patreon writeup, but several people commented that this year’s show may have been a bit too big. As you can see from the lead photo in this recap post, the aisles periodically clogged during giveaways, influencer meet-and-greets, etc., making it difficult for people to navigate the show and frustrating vendors who couldn’t get customers to their tables. A solution is beyond the scope of this post, but limiting the number of vendors and/or moving to a larger event space might be options for future D.C. Pen Shows. As for the current hotel, it’s fine as far as pen show venues go, but in my opinion there isn’t enough restaurant and bar space for attendees to gather after-hours, and the location is not particularly convenient for other shopping and dining alternatives.

Franklin-Christoph Show Special Ink on Tomoe River Paper — Later in the afternoon, my friend Dan (@dandon375) hosted a meet-and-greet where we got to play around with his collection of folded nibs, ruling pens, and modified Pilot Parallel calligraphy pens. This is the Franklin-Christoph DC Pen Show Special Edition Ink (an olive green) on 68gsm Tomoe River Paper.

Classes in the Pen Lounge: What Did You Think?

This year I worked with Vanness Pens on the Vanness Pen Lounge, which was a ballroom below the main show area that offered a quiet respite from the chaos that is the D.C. Pen Show. Throughout the weekend, the Pen Lounge hosted a running list of classes that included Fountain Pens 101 for beginners, a class on inks taught by Ana from the Well-Appointed Desk, and my own class on notebook systems. Basically, my class was a 30-60 minute overview of a handful of popular notebook and organizer systems that included the Traveler’s Notebook, the Lochby Field Journal, the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter, and Plotter. For those who attended the class, I referenced some written resources that exist on the site: a general overview post on how to get started, and a multi-post series on specific notebook systems including those we discussed during the class. If you’d like to read further, see Part I (Background Information); Part II (Plotter/Ring Binders); Part III (Traveler’s Company/Modular); and Part IV (Single Notebooks). I also recently published an “Ask TGS” FAQ Page that contains certain of the information we discussed, as well as general resources for new users.

Overall, the Pen Lounge concept seemed well-received, especially at a show that drew a lot of first-time pen show attendees and ended up being very crowded. It was nice to have a quiet, well air-conditioned and ventilated space downstairs to rest for a moment, and I enjoyed having the opportunity to meet everyone away from the table.

DC Pen Show 2024 Table Layout with Roterfaden and Lochby Products

Did You Miss Out on the Fun? Product Links, Resources, and Details on More August Pen Show Opportunities!

As with most pen shows I attend, I needed to take a day to recover on Monday, but yesterday I was back in the shop and re-entered all products from the show into the online inventory. My personal show strategy when I have a table is not to bring all of the product lines that we carry, but rather to select unique products that won’t otherwise be represented at the show. This year I chose a handful of brands: Roterfaden and Lochby for the main table display, accented with some interesting pens from Anterique, Uni, and Pilot.

Select Pens on the T.G.S. Table from the D.C. Pen Show — Pens from the T.G.S. Table: Uni Jetstream 4+1 Multi Pens, Anterique Brass Ballpoints, and Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Gel Multi Pens. Again, it’s fun to surprise people with items you don’t typically see at shows!

I had never seen the Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter organizers represented at a pen show, and since I was teaching a class on notebook systems, I figured that this past weekend would be as good a time as any to test it out. There’s a reason the Taschenbegleiter remains popular after all these years, even at a relatively high price point: It’s an intuitive, well-made organizer system, and the quality shines when you’re able to try it in person. It turns out that the Taschenbegleiter that drew the most attention was my 5+ year-old classic leather black model (new versions of which I carry in the shop but of course forgot to bring with me). Several people requested that I post the link to the specific model, which is the Taschenbegleiter LTD_022. All Lochby products that remain in stock are also back in inventory and listed on the site.

Because I need to finish moving into our physical shop space here in Nashville, I will not be attending Stationery Fest this week in New York City as originally planned. (If anyone was unable to get a three day pass and would like one, please reach out.) My next pen show will be the San Francisco Pen Show at the end of the month. I will not have a table but will rather be doing this show as an attendee, though if you’d like to place an order for show pickup I can probably make that work.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Stay tuned for details on our upcoming brick and mortar location, including visiting hours.

The D.C. Pen Show Main Ballroom 2023 — We will be at the D.C. Pen Show! Details below.

A Mid-Summer Update from T.G.S.: Lots of Changes on the Horizon, Including a Brick-and-Mortar Shopping Option Plus Pen Shows!

July 10, 2024

Those of you who are Patreon members or who subscribe to the shop newsletter may already be aware of some of these announcements, but I figured it was time to update the general readership since we are now very close to our move date! For the past year, I’ve been searching for a physical location for T.G.S., and given rising commercial real estate costs in the greater Nashville, Tennessee area, it hasn’t been easy to find suitable space that’s also reasonably priced. As it turns out, we have a lease on a location, and will be taking possession towards the end of July.

This is an extremely exciting new development for us (me and my family, who collectively run T.G.S.), and will allow us to expand both the T.G.S. Curated Shop as well as the range of pen-related content we can provide through our various media channels. Currently, I don’t have dedicated studio space for photography and video, which necessarily limits the quantity and quality of content that I can produce. The educational and informational content we offer here at T.G.S. will remain a core part of what we do, and a big part of this move is about expanding what we can offer the pen community in that regard.

Shoppe Object Main Ballroom from the Balcony — I’ve been attending multiple retail trade shows over the past couple of years preparing to expand the various lines of stationery we can offer, as well as partnering with manufacturers and brands on additional exclusive collaborations.

Will There Be an In-Person Shopping Option in Nashville? Yes! But Not Immediately.

As soon as we are able to move over our warehouse and office/fulfillment operations, we will offer in-person order pickup from a fixed location in the Nashville area. Once we take possession, I will post the address and pickup instructions here on the site, but I can go ahead and let my local customers know that the new location is near Berry Hill and central to most of the greater Nashville Metropolitan area. In the coming months - hopefully prior to the holidays - we plan to have a small retail area set up within our space that will allow people to come and shop our various product lines in person. Store hours will be forthcoming.

D.C. Pen Show Details: Come See T.G.S. In Person!

Due to the impending move, which is currently scheduled to take place the week before the D.C. Pen Show, we will not have time to assemble a full table’s worth of inventory for either the D.C. or San Francisco Pen Shows in August. That said, we will be in attendance, teaming up with our friends at Vanness Pens to help staff the new Vanness Pen Lounge in D.C.! The Pen Lounge will be located in the downstairs conference area below the main ballroom (which at past shows had been used as the “maker’s area” before last year’s hotel remodel. Stay tuned for further details as we get closer to the main event, but this space will feature an area for attendees to socialize, ask questions from a rotating cast of volunteers, and attend mini-classes and workshops throughout the weekend.

In addition to helping staff the Lounge, I will be hosting a workshop on notebook systems, and will have a small selection of samples from brands including Roterfaden, Lochby, Traveler’s Company, Midori, Laconic, and more. While I can’t commit to bringing items for in-person purchase, since our ability to restock inventory may be limited by the move, I will try to have a small selection of T.G.S. products available for purchase at the Vanness tables. Please let me know if there is something you specifically want to see and I will try to make it happen!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.