Nashville T.G.S. Special Event Recap, Day One, Plus Saturday Details

It’s taken me about a year to get here, but a primary reason I wanted to open a store was so that I could host events like the current weekend pop-up with Vanness Pens and Newton Pens! While we have moved the main T.G.S. Shop to Suite 107 on the front of the building, making it easier to find, Suite 113 (the “old” store) will be opened for special events like this weekend, and will also continue to serve as our office, warehouse, and fulfillment location. Come see us today (Saturday) from 10-6pm!

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Sign work courtesy of Shawn Newton, Photo courtesy of Lisa @ Olive Octopus!

Friday turned out to be super busy! We kicked off the weekend with normal business hours, and everyone had fun shopping our normal offerings as well as Shawn’s custom pens and specialty inks, ink samples, rare pens, and accessories from Vanness. After the shop “officially” closed we had a special Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club event with food and space to spread out. As we get settled into the new store and organize our warehouse, I plan to add additional seating, table-space, couches, etc. so that it’s easier to plan and grow these types of events. If you’re in the Nashville area (or reasonably close by), be sure to join the Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club, which now has a website in addition to the Facebook Page, so you’ll receive the announcements.

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Pre-opening setup with some of the stuff from Vanness, including Rickshaw, Galen Leather, Robert Oster Inks, Nagasawa Pens, and more! There is plenty of stock so if you missed Friday you have all day Saturday from 10-6pm to catch up.

For those coming by today, there will be a sign on the sidewalk outside directing everyone to where we’re set up. Many thanks to all of you who came out to support us in the new location, and to welcome everyone who to visit from out of town. I look forward to hosting more of these events in the future and further growing the pen community in the greater Nashville area!

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Also: Diamine Inkvent Calendars Are Here In-Store!

The 2026 Diamine Inkvent Calendars arrived Thursday afternoon, and I was able to swing by to pick them up on our way in to Friday’s event prior to opening. They’re now available both in-store and online, but supply is somewhat limited so please be sure to grab yours while they’re available.

Our regular in-store hours are Thursday and Friday from 1-6pm, and Saturdays from 10am-6pm. Be sure to check our Google Profile or main store page for up-to-date hours and special event details.

State of the Shop Update, Part III: Almost There and Questions Answered!

I’ve spent most of the past two weeks finishing up the new dedicated shop space that will open tomorrow, Thursday October 16th! I’ve had several questions about how things will work and exactly how the setup will be different from the old T.G.S. location. Here goes:

1. Why Are You Moving the Shop? First, we’re not technically “moving” - we are taking over an adjacent suite that opened up when the former occupants retired. (Suite 107, which formerly housed the natural pet supply store.) I was offered the space, and having a door on the front of the building will make it easier for first-time customers to locate us. Second, since we have a large online business that continues to grow rapidly, we require additional warehouse and work space, and we can’t have customers in the warehouse and shipping area while we’re working on fulfillment.

2. Will Hours Change? Not at this time. The showroom/shop will be open from 1pm-6pm Thursdays and Fridays, and from 10am-6pm on Saturdays. We may consider additional hours in the event we are able to hire additional staff, but that will depend on many different factors.

3. Is Everything Available in Store that is Available Online? Yes. The one caveat is that if you are looking to buy more than 2 or 3 of bulkier items in-person (i.e., notebooks or legal pads), please confirm availability or place the order online for local in-store pickup so that we have time to collect large orders from the warehouse. We get very busy on Fridays and Saturdays, and we may not have sufficient staffing to leave the store area depending on how crowded the shop is.

4. What Will Happen to the “Old Store” Area? Most of the fixtures other than displays, etc. will remain in place. As mentioned above, we need additional warehouse space to hold inventory and fulfill online orders. We also plan to convert a portion of our existing suite into a meeting/gathering area that we can use to host meetups and additional special events, like this coming weekend’s in-store event with Vanness Pens and Newton Pens.

5. What Are You Most Excited About with the New Space? Having better “flow” through the store area, and not having to worry about keeping people out of the warehouse, shipping station, and my office. Everything is also more organized, with some sections built around product categories but also with a selection of items mixed throughout to keep browsing fun. Best of all, we will have a multi-pen station on the back wall with pen bodies such as Hi-Tec-C Coletos, Jetstreams, Uni Style Fit, and all the refills so that it’s easier to assemble your pens in person!

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For those of you who have written in via e-mail and sent messages, I apologize if I’ve been slow to respond this week. I will try to get them in a timely fashion, but for now I’ve been prioritizing those that have to do with orders and scheduling store visits. Our online store remains up and running during our “move,” and there have been no fulfillment delays. And, I’m happy to announce that at long last, the Traveler’s Notebook 2026 dated refills have arrived. You can purchase online or they will be available in-store starting tomorrow. Hope to see you at launch day!

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The multi pen wall is coming together. Probably one more late night but we’re ready to go tomorrow!

State of the Shop Update, Part II: Build-Out Progress!

A couple weeks back we celebrated our first anniversary as a brick-and-mortar store, and thought it might be fun to share some progress photos from the ongoing buildout of our new shop area, which will be located on the front of our existing building. Why this new shop? Mostly because our online business is growing and we need to use our current location as pure warehouse/office space. It’s become too difficult to clearly separate the two, and we’ve had issues with customers trying to enter off-limits areas in order to “look around.” As noted below, after we get the store moved over, we still plan to open this space up for special events, but the primary location for picking up orders and in-person shopping will be the new showroom in Suite 107. This location will also be clearly marked and easier to locate on the front of the building. Our first date in the new space will be Thursday, October 16, so until then, you should continue to visit the current location (Suite 113).

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The new space will have a more traditional showroom/pen shop location, with enough space for most of the products that people tend to want to see in person.

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I’m looking forward to the new space being better organized, with clearly delineated “sections” for different product categories.

Don’t Miss Our Nashville In-Store Event Scheduled for October 17-18 with Vanness and Newton Pens!

Lisa Vanness and Shawn Newton will be in-store on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18! Be sure to stop by if you are in the Nashville area, as we will be opening up the new shop (Suite 107, on the front of the building), as well as the existing T.G.S. entrance (Suite 113) which we will continue to use for special events such as this one. Lisa will be bringing rare inks and other Vanness Pens exclusives, and Shawn will of course have a selection of Newton Pens available to see and purchase!

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The shop will be open normal hours: 1-6pm on Friday (10/17), and 10am-6pm (10/18) on Saturday. Though no reservation or appointment is necessary, please do note that the shop tends to be busiest from between 12pm-2pm, so arrivals outside of that time slot may have an easier time finding parking. We hope to see you there!

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.

Looking Backward and Leaping Forward: 2024 Year-in-Review and 2025 Intentions

My two favorite posts that I write every year are the intentions posts: the one where I revisit and recap my intentions from the prior year, and another where I look forward to the next. Since this year turned out to be particularly eventful, with somewhat odd timing, I’ve combined these into one long post that looks back on what changed here in 2024, how things are going, and what to expect in 2025. Settle in, because I’m going to walk you through the saga that was T.G.S. in 2024!

I started 2024 with three main intentions: (1) continue to organize and optimize the back catalog of T.G.S. content and take better advantage of the knowledge acquired over 10 years of writing this blog; (2) minimize personal acquisitions; and (3) build more of a presence in my local community and become more deliberate with things like pen show travel. I can probably declare the first two intentions successful. This year balanced new blog reviews and content with material that drew on existing reviews and features, with the goal of bringing some of this content to the attention of a large influx of new readers, many of whom have had very little prior experience with fountain pens and stationary. I've also continued to thin out older posts that no longer serve a purpose (i.e., older links and deals posts, reviews of bad products by companies that are no longer in business, etc.). And while I do plan to write a stand-alone "favorite acquisitions of 2024" post, I know for a fact that I bought far less in 2024 than prior years, and more pens, inks, and paper went out the door than came in.

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You all will get a pictorial history of the new T.G.S. shop, from how I found it to what it looks like now!

Sometime in July, intention number three became the focus of nearly all my efforts for the second half of the year. In an abrupt turn of fortune, I managed to find a physical location to house The Gentleman Stationer - both the online content/webshop side of the business and a new in-person retail operation. I started 2024 quite down on the possibility of ever being able to do this, as the Nashville-area real estate market continues to be (in my opinion) absurdly inflated, and the nature of my particular business doesn't lend itself to the types of commercial spaces that were available. In late 2023, I had actually leased a temporary office for six months in order to give myself a studio-like space to work outside of my home. This idea didn't work out - half co-working space, half-private office, this place was loud, poorly ventilated, and expensive for what it was. (It also had bad coffee.) When my lease expired in April, and I found myself outgrowing my current inventory warehouse, I started touring spaces once again with a growing sense of desperation that I might have to start scaling back T.G.S. simply because I didn't have a place to put it.

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It’s amazing what new carpet and fresh paint can do.

The location I stumbled upon is “unique”. :) Those of you who have visited our shop know that we are tucked away in a non-traditional commercial/warehouse complex that houses a wide range of different businesses, most of which operate both in-person and online. Other business include a home alarm company, a custom closet company, and even a film photography store and darkroom facility. Below my shop is a space that bands can rent to rehearse at night, a mobile florist, and even a sculptor who maintains a studio in a refurbished storage unit. It's an interesting bunch. Based on my own internet research, my particular unit has housed anything from a picture frame shop to an art studio. While native Nashvillians and long-term residents know exactly where we are - my street has a number of what I would call "classic Nashville" businesses that have existed for decades - it's not a place where people are going to find you by accident. Some people who visit us for the first time ask how the business exists without traditional "foot traffic", by which they mean potential customers walking in off the street. The answer is that it’s not necessary for our business, and I love the flexibility of a business model that doesn’t have the increased cost associated with staffing a store 6 days a week and having to worry about security, shoplifting, etc.

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Bonus skill development: I got really good at assembling hex-key fixtures, finding wall studs, and mounting shelves to drywall!

In May of this past year, I actually almost signed a lease on a "traditional" retail shop in a strip mall. It's what everyone was encouraging me to do, and by "everyone," I'm referring to real estate brokers, family members who know absolutely nothing about pens or this industry, friends (including some pen friends) telling me to open a shop because it's-such-a-great-idea-and-our-city/community-industry-needs-this but who still haven’t visited the shop or bought anything online in the six months it's been open, and those random people on the internet who offer unsolicited advice when the word gets out that you're considering a certain business move. My advice to YOU if you're considering making a similar move, or any business decision: politely acknowledge those people and then make YOUR OWN decision, informed by your understanding of your business and, yes, your gut. At the last minute, I walked away from the first location I seriously considered because it didn’t feel right, and it was the single best decision I've made in the past ten years.

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I don't believe that brick-and-mortar retail is dead. Far from it. I actually think it's necessary for businesses to have a physical location to interact with customers - a place for customers to go with their questions, to view products in person, and for businesses to host events where they can engage with and become part of their local communities. That said, retail spaces should be carefully considered and closely tailored to the nature of the business they house. In my particular situation, not having a space suitable for operating online would have ignored the reality of my customer base, and the way in which many people get their information and research potential purchases in niche industries such as high-end stationery.

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So why wouldn't the first location have worked? It was (1) too expensive, both in terms of rent and staffing/insurance costs for the 6 days a week the lease would have required me to be open; (2) too small, in that it would likely have required me to rent additional warehouse space for online inventory and yet another office or studio to create content, if not give up that aspect of the business entirely; and (3) lacking in flexibility to host community events and to match my operating hours to the realities of when people tend to shop in person. I walked away from this location, depressed once again at the prospects of moving the business back into my house and, quite probably, beginning the process of "right-sizing" it for a home-based operation. I decided to do one last sweep of commercial listings, and came across a location that we had missed due to the fact that it was a "flex" space that didn't fall neatly into the retail/office/warehouse/industrial categories. Three weeks later I had a signed lease, and in late July I took possession.

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I’ve done several YouTube videos showing how to find the shop, and even posted a tour of the interior a while back.

Why our current location works, and what it means for T.G.S. in 2025

By now many of you are probably wondering where I'm going with today's post, which has turned into a long one. Bear with me for just a bit longer.

My current space had been vacant for a while and likely fits no business other than mine. It’s relatively small (small enough to comfortably staff by myself or with a single helper), yet it’s set up with a showroom area, two offices, and a warehouse. I can do everything I need to get done in one location, and it sits directly between my house and my other job, where I’m now fully remote and don’t need to go in as often. Most of all, I enjoy spending time here.

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TGS Back-office Tour. “Organization” is still a work in progress.

For 2025 I have one intention: focus on building out this new presence in my local community, while continuing to expand online and create new and helpful Gentleman Stationer content. I honestly never thought I'd be able to say that I'm now an "established" retailer with a legitimate physical shop, but that is my new reality, and it probably - no, definitely - means that traveling and pen show attendance will take a back seat to being present here in my own shop to grow my local business. I feel deeply that one of the things holding the stationery industry back is it's tendency to focus on catering to very vocal enthusiast communities while neglecting the much larger body of potential customers who enjoy stationery but don't necessarily attend pen shows and spend hours online. It's not stationery as something to collect or a niche hobby - it's part of their everyday lives. My experience running a physical store over the past six months has born out this belief. My customer base, both online and in-store, tends to mirror the general T.G.S. readership, comprised of those who love stationery because they use it and it helps them think, express themselves, and do whatever else they need it to do to get them where they want to be. It's been beyond gratifying to have new people walk into the shop every week and tell me that they're glad I'm here, and that they were tired of living in a city without a dedicated stationery store - something I’m happy to provide. But all of this comes at a cost, and takes a lot of work.

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This never gets old. And I find myself saying that every day.

Our business is thriving - doing better than I ever expected - and I wouldn't have opened the shop if I wasn't confident that there was a long-term path forward with my specific business model. That said, it's important for people to realize how difficult it is for physical spaces to exist in today's economy and any small business's existence is precarious. If you like a business, and value it's presence in your community, support it. Whether it's a stationery store or a favorite bookshop, a restaurant or a coffeehouse, spaces like these don't survive off their intangible contributions to the community - everything is monetized, and those of us responsible for creating and operating them have to take this into account when doing everything from selecting a location to determining operating hours to deciding what brands to carry. In other words, you have to balance what you would want your "ideal" shop to look like with what's economically feasible and what will allow the business to not just survive but grow.

I'm looking forward to 2025, and for the first time in a while, feel a renewed sense of direction and purpose. I do still plan to attend a few pen shows in 2025. Currently, I'm slated for the Arkansas Pen Show in March, and plan to be at the D.C. Pen Show and possibly the San Francisco Pen Shows in August. Stay tuned, and if you are in the Nashville area, drop in for a visit! You can find directions to our shop and current operating hours here.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by the T.G.S. Curated Shop and Patreon. I’d like to give a HUGE thanks to all of my supporters on Patreon. Even more so than your monetary support, your encouragement and personal input has been invaluable, and I look forward to the monthly meetups (including tonight) more than you know.