I have a really vivid memory of being a teenager, on holiday with my family, and my eldest brother commenting that I was incapable of entering a shop without buying stationery. Over the years since that comment has stayed with me, because well...it's true. I love pens, I have a billion half-used notebooks, I love postcards, and of course, as a fully-fledged (ish) adult, I write letters as a small business.
So, I don't think it was a shock to anyone who knows me that stationery would be the next step in my growth strategy. Yes, I needed a little encouragement to actually do it, but when I say that I spent a month and a half excitedly finding Dolly Trolley, painting her alongside my partner Chris, choosing the stock I wanted to sell, and pulling everything together to launch at the beginning of September, I genuinely mean it.
I felt like such a little kid buying pens, stickers and so much more from small businesses, some of whom I have followed for YEARS, and it is an absolute DREAM to say I am a stockist of (Katie Abey).
The Philosophy
I think it's important to say here that Poppy's Paper Shop is not just about selling stationery, and it has never been just about that. I went into starting this journey with a very firm idea in my head of what this was going to look like. I wanted two things:
- To sell stationery that encourages people to write letters...to themselves, to each other, to strangers, to friends, to family, to anyone
- The stationery needed to be bright, positive and encouraging.
It was also really important to me was that I didn't want to sell generic products that could be easily purchased from The Works, or The Range.
I had so much fun pulling together a collection of products from a selection of small, independent businesses that are all based in the UK.
Where to find Poppy's Paper Shop
Obviously, you can find all of my products available through the website, however, if you live in or around Grimsby, you'll find Dolly The Trolley in People Make Grimsby, at 7 Baxtergate, Freshney Place.
I'll be at People Make Grimsby every Tuesday, for letter-writing drop-ins if you'd like to join our Letter Exchange. I offer writing paper for as little as £1.50, which is an absolute banger!