Category: Stationery

Storytime: letter writing

Storytime. Hazel put 3 writing pad and envelope sets on the counter. “I’ll make letter writers out of the grandkids yet,” she said with a smile. “Even if I have to bribe them.”

Hazel’s plan was to give the grandkids a money gift for each letter she receives, up to $5 depending on how she rates the letter. They can send a letter each fortnight, no more often than that.

She writes back with the gift and a note of her own.

Hazel has been doing this for 3 months and it is working. The kids are getting better at writing and Hazel is enjoying going to her letterbox.

We love hearing how people are finding new ways to connect these days.

Sorytime: scrapbooks

Storytime. Susie put four scrapbooks, a couple of glue sticks, some glitter and a couple of packs of colour markers in front of me at the counter saying “that will keep the terrors busy this weekend.” Susie was a young mum with 4 kids between 6 and 12 years old. She called the kids “the terrors” when she was shopping without them. “What’s the plan?”, I asked. “Iso scrapbooks.” Susie seemed pleased with her answer, but she could tell from the look on my face that I didn’t get it. “Twenty, thirty, forty years from now I want them to have a memory of what these few months this year have been like, so this weekend we’re making scrapbooks.” “What about you and Rob?”, I wondered, before grabbing two more scrapbooks and added them to the pile – “hey, these 2 are on me as long as you bring them all back and show me.”

Scrapbooks leave the shop blank and empty. Soon, they become keepsakes, treasure troves of memories.

Storytime: the financial year diary

Storytime. “Have you got a large financial year diary left by any chance?” The question itself would be unsurprising except that it was already late April and we were two months from the start of the new financial year. He saw the consternation in my face. “It doesn’t have to be large, but I’d prefer it if possible.”

After looking in the bottom shelves that we keep meaning to tidy up I found a large financial year diary and handed it to the sixty-something customer. He flicked through it, drew it to his chest and smiled in relief.

After he paid and started to leave, he came back to the counter, holding up the diary. “It’s going to be the guest book for my dad’s memorial.” “I’m so sorry,” I said. “It’s okay. He was 91 and ready. He was an accountant, a good accountant, and we, the family, wanted to acknowledge that at the memorial, so I figured this diary would be a nice touch, and a keepsake for us.”

As he left, I stood there once again surprised at how little we know about how people use what we sell.

Storytime: a bouquet of purple pens

Storytime.  A guy in his mid 70s put eight different purple pens and markers on the counter. “Someone likes purple,” I said with a smile in my usual, somewhat cliché, small talk at the counter way. His lip quivered, a tear formed. I felt a chill. He faintly smiled. “They’re for my wife,” he spoke slowly and softly, “she has dementia. Purple was, is, her favourite colour. I want to give her things she might remember.”

I opened a pack of purple tissue paper and wrapped the pens into a small posy and tied that with a purple ribbon. “She will love that,” he said, with a broad smile.

The stories we hear are personal and heart-warming. They make retail more meaningful.

Storytime: the Spirax Music Book and the song about our town

Storytime. 12 years ago, when I sold Toby his first Spirax Music Book, I told him to come and play for me one day. He was in high school then and told me he had plans to be a songwriter. As I was closing up a couple of nights ago, this guy came in with a guitar over his shoulder. “Hey, I’m Toby. Remember me? I promised you a song.” Next thing you know, the Spirax Music Book was on the counter and open and he was playing his guitar and singing. It was a ballad about growing up in our small town.

Some days we experience pure joy in discovering the creativity of others using what we sell.