Best Stationery Stores In Chicago
By Angela Hazen
Email may be fast and ecards may be convenient, but a handwritten invitation on elegant stationery is an absolute classic touch. There is just something about getting an invitation by hand or in the mail, opening the letter and feeling the card stock weight in your hand. Many people buy stationery for weddings, and later find themselves shopping for thank you notes and baby announcements. Stationery can be seen as an affordable luxury or just as beautiful notepads to keep track of everyday events. If you are looking to announce an engagement, a wedding or a baby, or if you just like fashionable pens and notepads, try some of these Chicago-area stationery stores.
Foursided
2958 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 244-6431
www.foursided.com
Even people who don't like to send cards may not be able to resist the smart, witty stationery sold at Foursided on Clark Street. Thank you cards, engagement cards and others are done in a classic yet cool fashion that will help release your inner hipster. This is a great place to shop for those looking to send Chicago postcards, mugs, maps and other items that are off the beaten path.
Greer
1657 N. Wells St.
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 337-8000
www.greerchicago.com
Stop in at Greer on Wells Street for a new look at a stationary store with an old world feel. This shop has pieces by Kate Spade and Cavallini, who make journals that are absolutely lovely. Even if you already have a notebook, you'll find yourself buying a new one. This Old Town favorite will soon be one of your go-to places to shop for yourself, your relatives and your friends.
Pieritz
401 South Blvd.
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 383-8710
www.pieritz.net
Vintage typewriters provide the perfect backdrop for this Oak Park stationery store, which has an almost industrial, art deco feel to it. Enjoy browsing the shop's vast inventory of stationery, notebooks and pens. You will probably leave with more items than expected when you discover just how expansive the selection is at Pieritz.
Related: Best Places for Antiquing in Chicago
Elizabeth Grace
2438 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 477-9830
www.elizabethgrace.com
If you are looking for top-of-the-line wedding invitations, Elizabeth Grace is one of the best places to turn to in Chicago. Not only does it carry Moniques Lhuillier and Vera Wang stationery, it also have its own personal collection that is absolutely amazing. Even if you are having a simple cocktail party, Elizabeth Grace sells a variety of party invitations that will no doubt impress your Lincoln Park friends.
Toluka Paper
2901 N. Fairfield Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618
(312) 560-6290
www.tokulapaper.com
If you are a stationery newbie, Tokula Paper may be a great place to start. Simple styles and delightful designs abound on the cards and invites, and you can just imagine the look in the eyes of the person you are giving the card to as you shop. Tokula also does custom orders, so if you have something in mind and aren't sure how to get started, stop in and Toluka Paper will be happy to help.
Angela Hazen lives in Oak Park, IL. She has worked as a model in Chicago and studied broadcast journalism at Columbia College Chicago. She has traveled to Europe on several occasions, and keeps her readers up to date with local and international style, shopping, fashion and beauty trends. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
