Behind the Shop

Life Stationery is another brand that we’ve carried since we opened our doors, and to this day, shipments from Japan are as exciting as ever. Their Noble Note line is iconic among true stationery nerds, and their paper is fantastic for fountain pens.

I grew up in a small town, and then went to school in another small town. I remember my first time taking the TTC, the subway system in Toronto, and being amazed at the urban-ness of the experience. I think the person I was with laughed at me and said the TTC system is really nothing amazing: it’s a big U and one line across the U.

After years of using and carrying Traveler’s Notebook in our shops, we finally made it out to Tokyo to visit the famed Nakameguro Traveler’s Factory.

The first leg of our Tokyo trip was making it to the ISOT Stationery Show—we stayed at a hotel quite close to where it was taking place, especially since we were arriving late at night in Tokyo, a completely new city for us.

We made it! It looked a bit hairy there for a minute, but we’re all here: all the luggage, most of our sanity, both children.

Last weekend was Taste of Little Italy, a street festival that happens once a year along College Street. They close College off to cars, and the whole street is filled up with tents and booths and people. Our main shop at 52 Clinton is just off College, midway along the festival, which is an exciting place to be. There’s music, balloons, rides if you go far enough west, and of course, lots of great food.