Retailer Spotlight: Eryngium Papeterie

Retailer Feature Blog

In this series, we talk a about our retailers and their store in the hope you discover a local business you could visit and support. We ask the shop owners to answer a couple of questions so we, and you, can know them a little bit better! So far, we have featured Paper Tree, The Mailroom, and The Paper Mouse.

Up Next: Eryngium Papeterie

Meet Crystal who is the woman behind Eryngium Papeterie. They are located in Vancouver, WA, not to be confused with Vancouver, BC where we are stationed! Since the summer of 2023, they have started offering our products in their shop. Read further to learn more about her and the story behind her shop's name.

Can you tell us a bit about your store and what you sell?

My name is Crystal Humble Lary and I own and operate Eryngium Papeterie! Eryngium is the first stationery store to open in my city for decades, located in the heart of downtown in a thriving, Vancouver, Washington.

The name of my shop always brings people in to inquire, "how do you say the name of your store...?" Eryngium is the Greek & Latin botanical term for my favorite flower, commonly know as "Sea Holly." While this has nothing to do with paper making, it brings me joy and allows me to feature my collection of 18th-20th Century type plates and botanical prints from around the world on the shop's walls.

The shop has a warm and welcoming feel and is decorated with mostly vintage and antique furniture. A giant painting of my favorite childhood books "Frog & Toad" hangs above the faux fireplace, welcoming all and setting the tone for the shop, that this is a welcoming and sentimental place.

How did you start your store?

While Eryngium began as a small pop up in an existing European inspired decor shop, the real beginnings happened when I was 11 years old, and dreamed of owning a paper store one day. A notebook full of vendor names and brands were jotted down before the days of Google so I could keep a list of the products I hoped to one day carry.

Stocking stationery letter sheets is equally as important to me as greeting cards and I have entire sections devoted to paper from Florence, Budapest, and India.

Writing inks from Canada, France and England fill an entire hutch and brass seals with wax beads & sticks are nearby to finish your special correspondence.

Cozy chairs are tucked by a window for reading, writing and journaling. The shop has a policy that if you finish a card or letter with products bought in house, you can leave it at the counter and I will stamp it complimentary and put it in the post by the end of the business day!

It's been a great way for people to follow thru on their correspondence!

What is unique about the store or do you have any cool services you provide?

Eryngium provides stationery sets and mainly letterpressed cards, along with a variety of printed cards from local artists and around the world.

Gift wrap, ribbons, scissors and stickers are thoughtfully stocked, along with pencils, a growing pen selection and vintage to antique inkwells & letter openers. Providing antique items correlating to writing or library decor has been really special, and customers often come in with some heirloom or curiosity to sell to the shop.

My jewelry line "HumbleBug Jewelry" fits nicely in this landscape of antiques and sentiment, with up-cycled trinkets and chains from the 1800's to the 1970's.

What is your favourite color or items you love?

My favorite color is turquoise and I love nearly all things! Taxidermy and natural objects are in my shop and home library. I love antique books, coffee & tea, and have an ongoing love affair with Pinot Noir.

I am an artist, and love working in my garden. My friends mean a great deal to me and I'm blessed with many! I have a twin sister and 5 other siblings, and two children of my own. Im married to a kind and supportive man who brings balance to my whimsy and helps bring my dreams to life! I stepped out of careers in grocery, art and teaching rock climbing to open my dream store last year on our 43rd birthday.

Anything else you would like to share?

I appreciate so much each person that supports this dream, and the vendors and artists that bring magical to this space! The shared love of writing and individual contributions from business worldwide means everything.

Thank you, "Written word Calligraphy" for sharing my story!

Visit Eryngium Papeterie Yourself!

Thank you so much Crystal for sharing your story! We love how you displayed our products, especially our wax seals! If you live in or close to Vancouver, WA, make sure to pay them a visit. We might have to drive down one day to admire her thoughtful shop and send a card in the cozy corner of her shop.

Website: eryngiumpapeterie.com
Instagram: @eryngiumpapeterie

Products stocked: Mini Calligraphy Starter Kits, Dual Purpose Pens, Lowercase and Uppercase Alphabet Practice Pads, Slanted Notepads, Modern Tilted Inkwells, Wax Seal Sets, Dragon Wax Seal

Hope you enjoyed reading our new post in our Retailer Spotlight series, and please let us know what you think! Who would you like to see featured next?

xoxo,
Karla

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