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Great Stores - Stores of NoteCanada
Calgary, Alberta, CanadaReid's Stationers Here is a great pen store in Calgary owned by the Reid family. Stop by and ask for Laughlan Reid. The store has a significant pen section. He provides top notch service and has a depth of knowledge of pens. Trish is also very knowledgeable. I visit Reid's when I have the opportunity to visit Calgary and I reguarly hear very good things about the store from others. Going to Calgary? Don't miss a trip to Reid's Stationary. The store is open from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Friday and 10:00 am to 5:30 pm on Saturdays. Major pen lines are available such as Lamy, Pelikan, Montblanc, Waterman, Parker, Cross, Rotring, Elysee, Scheaffer, S.T. Dupont, Caran D'Ache and Omas. In addition to pens they carry a good stock of quality papers, notebooks, diaries, pencils and inks. All the stuff that pen people need and care about. (Thanks - R. Bilton, B. Cervi, D Duval).
Cambridge, OntarioPhidon Pens Balpdeep and Mano Duggal opened Phidon Pens in September 2008. They are knowledgeable and in talking with them, they show their love of fine pens. There is a good selection of pens by Sailor, Conway Stewart, Visconti, Marlen, Pelikan, Lamy, Bexley, Faber-Castell, Carand'Ache - to name just some of the lines. Mano notes that they carry some lines that are difficult to find elsewhere in Canada. They will help you with the selection of a pen that is right for you, and in choosing the right ink -- always part of the pen experience. They carry Noodlers, Diamine, Private Reserve, Waterman and Sailor writing inks. When you add that they have a selection of stationary and leather products - well, this great pen store. (Thanks - R Hutchinson). I list their web site, however it has been under construction for a long time!
Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaStylus Fine Pens Website: www.stylusfinepens.com
I am hoping to get back up to Edmonton soon, and I am looking forward to visiting this store. Recently, three different people have written me to say this is THE store to go to in Edmonton. What is the store like? Pens, inks, paper, and desk accessories, in that order of importance. Diamine is one of their feature brands. The store carries a good selection fountain pen-friendly paper - always a good thing for pen folks to have. With knowledge in the area of pens, they even ask what kind of pen you are planning to use before they sell you paper. Great service. (Thanks N. Walker)
Notables Tel: 780.488.4625 | Fax: 780.488.4680 Website: www.notables.ca Notables is a well-established Edmonton stationery store that carries a ton of product. While stationery is their main focus, the stores also has a good selection of fountain pens. Check out the small corner with fountain pens from Lamy, Stypen, Visconti, Faber-Castell, Monteverde, Retro 51. (Thanks. N. Walker) Montreal, Quebec, CanadaMosel This Montreal store has been selling pens since 1945. They carry pens and watches with pens becoming a greater and greater focus of attention. Recent changes include the addition of a large Montblanc Shop-inShop -- probably the largest in Canada. So the full line of Montblanc products are available.
Papeterie
Casse-Noisette Montreal is an exciting city. Any trip should include a visit to Vieux-Montrèal, the old section of Montreal. It is in Old-Montreal that you will find the impressive Basilique Notre-Dame and also just down the street from the Basilique, a great pen store - Papeterie Casse-Noisette. When I visited the store in June 1999 I was greeted by enthusiastic staff (Zoë and Anne Catherine) and shown a wide range of pens, inks and papers. They staff demonstrate a great interest in pens, inks and papers and show the store's stock with pride. If you don't see what you are looking for, be sure to ask, as there are plenty of items to be brought out for you, just waiting your request. Owner Pierrette Julien has traveled extensively and brought in a wonderful selection of papers from countries that include Italy and Germany. Like the pens the store carries, Madame Julien only buys what she has seen and establishes as being of quality. The store will also arrange pen repairs, and order items on a no-obligation basis. Casse-Noisette is open Monday to Thursday from 10-6 and Saturday to Sunday from 10-4:30pm. Don't miss it.
L'Esence
du Papier The store has a good selection of ink and the staff are very knowledgeable. Store has a selection of Montblanc, Sheaffer, Parker as well as some limited edition pens. They have a discount section with some regular good finds! (Merci, A. Coutu). 1, Place Ville Marie Recently I was contacted about the Place Ville Marie Store which is larger than the store on St-Denis and carries MontBlanc, Cartier, Von Graf Faber Castel, Dunhill, Dupon, Pelikan, Visconti, Omas, Waterman and a number of other lines.
La
Boutique du Stylo also a store in I heard that this store has an excellent offering. Great service and a wide variety of pens. This includes a good selection of Dupont, Montegrappa, Waterman, Parker and other main pen lines. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. No pressure atmosphere here and good prices also. There is another store in Laval in le Carrefour Laval with top notch staff also. That store, located in a shopping mall, is at the intersection of Highway 15 and 440.
Les
Stylos Dakar Tel: 514.485.6587 This shop has a small selection of pens and is located on a second floor location just a half block off Sherbrooke. Russell Hemsworth, the ownwe, keeps irregular hours so that can create a challenge. He has, however, a passion about pens and provides great service and knowledge. There are pens and quality notebooks. Hours are "eccentric" but try Wednesday to Fridays from 11:30 - 6:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. (Thanks, Brian van den Broek)
Toronto, Ontario, CanadaLaywine's The store has a good variety of pens. Their recent new location is larger than the former store. Comments from a number of individuals confirm a good level of service and an encouragement to trying pens to make sure its right for you. For example, Claudio writes: "Laywines, Toronto, is staffed with classy people! I returned a faulty, three month old Rotring convertor and they provided me with a new one - at no cost! Now that's customer service!". Don Duval notes that "Peter seems to foster a positive attitude and a camaraderie among the people who work there that shows up in their service." They also have a extensive variety of domestic and foreign diary/organizers and refills. If you see Joy you will be getting service from someone who as been there for quite a while and really knows her stuff.
Montblanc
Boutique A number of years ago I met proprietor Wayne Kingsland. He talked with enthusiasm about the wide range of Montlbanc pens carried in the Montblanc Boutique located in the upscale shopping area of Bloor Street West in Toronto. As of the time, this was Canada's only free-standing Montblanc Boutique store. Wayne, previously a Vice-President with Montblanc, opened up the Toronto Montlbanc Boutique around the end of 1997. He acknowledges the importance of top level service in making a pen store great. And they treat their stock with care! It is with white gloves and care that he and his other staff showed some of the various lines that he carries. The store is very smart looking. Besides just about every Montblanc pen you can imagine, the store carries all the Montblanc accessories such as writing accessories and jewelry items.
B.
Sleuth & Statesman I will have to get to Toronto and visit B. Sleuth & Statesman as I hear it is a great store. They have moved to a new location on King Street. They sell Cuban cigars, pipes and men's grooming supplies (razors, shaving supplies, leather goods, etc.) but also stock a good selection of pens and accessories. The lines include Montblanc, S.T. Dupont, Lamy, Faber Castell, Pelikan, Caran d'Ache, Parker, Cross, Waterman and Visconti. On the ink side you will find Private Reserve and Herbin inks. As well, journals by Mignon, Clairefontaine and Graphic Image and a lot of leather pen cases and chests. Owners Murtaza Amarshi and Akil Rahemtullab are passionate about customers buying the right pen and using it properly too. Murtaza loves special nibs, and favors oblique broad, so he carries a nice range of nibs for Pelikan, Parker, Waterman and S.T. Dupont fountain pens. They also operate the Handwritings store in First Canadian Place. I like the fact that they encourage customers to 'dip and try before they buy'.
Vancouver, B.C.Vancouver
Pen
Charals
Al Charania has operated this great pen store in Vancouver for over 10 years. It is located in the upscale Sinclair Centre near the waterfront. It is a beautiful store with a good selection of pens and writing accessories. The selection of pens includes Montblanc, Waterman, Parker Cartier etc. He will also custom order special nibs on request. I always enjoy visiting the stylish store store because of the good selection of pens, desk accessories such as leather organizers and briefcases. You will enjoy your visit I am sure. The store is easy to find, it is located West Hastings and Granville is the upscale Sinclair Centre Shopping concourse.
Perks
When in Vancouver plan to make it over to the Cambie & 41st area as I recommend a stop by Perks. Here is one of Vancouver's great pen stores. Spend some time in the store having a look at a good selection of pens, inks, paper and leather products and meet the store owner, Richard Clarke. The store has lots of character and interest. Richard has been in the pen business for some 28 or more years and you will find him an interesting fellow. Pens are in the family as the Clarke family is involved with the distribution of the Cross line of pens in Canada. When I visited the store in March 2009 Richard was looking forward to the end of the construction of the Canada Line - the extension of the rapid transit line to Richmond and the Airport. In September 2009 the store is on the rapid transit line from downtown Vancouver to the airport so it is easy to drop by.
Richard is pretty upbeat about the future of pens and has seen a steady growth of interest in the sale of fountain pens. He carries a variety of nibs for many of the lines and there is a good selection of Private Reserve, Noodler's as well as the other major line of writing inks. He also carries a new line, OnLine and I will have to get around to trying that ink out.
Perks is open six days a week:
Obsessions Obsessions is not a dedicated pen store but they do have a large and extensive boutique for Cross pens. So if you were looking for a Cross pen, this would be one of the stores in Vancouver you should visit. There are a flow and wall show cases displaying Cross pens covering a price range from $95 to $325 for a fountain pen. I particularly like the new "C-Series" as it is one of the larger pens and it has an edgy but tasteful design. With its rhodium plated 18 kt gold nib it looks like a good pen. When I visited with Mark in October 2009 he showed me the full line of Cross pens the store carries. Cross is developed an range of lines offering models of their pens in a variety of finishes. The company is so much more than the icon "Century Pen" - a line of pen that I am told is still very popular. The store not only carries the Cross line of pens, but also portfolios, journals, wallets and watches. The Cross Leather Journal, for example, has a good quality leather cover as well as a pouch on the back cover to hold tickets or the like while traveling. The store is located on the corner of Howe and Dunsmuir in the centre of Vancouver so it is easy to find. Hours are Monday to Friday 9:30 to 6:00 and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 6:00 pm. When thinking of a Cross pen, this would be a store to check out.
Simply The Best
When in Victoria, the pen shop to visit is Simply the Best. Although not a dedicated pen store, Jim keeps a well stocked pen counter. Omas, Lamy, Visconti, Aurora are some of the brands that he carries, but others also. He carries both regular and limited editions. If you are looking for a limited edition, there is a good change he will have it. He has a keen passion and knowledge of pens and enjoys talking to you about pens, nibs and ink. His store now stocks a pretty good selection of Private Reserve Inks as well, the last time I was in his store there was a selection of Visconti ink. The store is also a repair depot for all makes of pens. Just one more reason to visit Victoria. |
Found a great pen store? Please send me an e-mail at info@glennspens.com with information about the store and I will include it on a the next update.
Living in Vancouver, BC Canada; I frequent Vancouver Pen on a regular basis.
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Regardless how you get to the store, you will ensure your visit. It is the kind of pen store that pen users like... displays of pens along the wall, counters with pens in the middle of the store, and the layout is conducive to a feeling of exploration as you make your way further and further into the store. 
