Hello FPNers,
I have gotten myself into an ink-rut. I have three types of black ink, and that represents the extent of my ink collection. I NEED some more variety. I was wondering if anyone out there knows where I can get bottled fountain pen ink in or near Roanoke, Virginia (Southwest Virginia). Roanoke is a decent sized, growing locale, but we have not excelled to the level of fountain pen mecca. There are plenty of resources within a day-trip's drive (Northern Virginia/DC, Richmond, Charlotte), but I wanted a place where I could go locally or semi-locally. I know that I could order ink online, but I have a limited experience with various inks in general, so I would like to try some colors out first. I am still kicking myself for not getting a supply of ink on my last trip to Tyson's Corner and Fahrney's. I look forward to your replies, because I will shortly be ink-starved.

-Cody

You could come down here to Greensboro to Sharon Luggage. They also sell pens and ink. They have a website. I feel your pain. Here the most elaborate ink I have access to is Private Reserve.

Here's an idea, try googling on your favorite ink manufacturers and see if they happen to have a designated B&M ink vendors in your area. I am guessing with the number of college towns in your neighborhood, there ought to be at least some of the basic inks (Waterman, Cross, Parker, Schaeffer) and basic colors available through the campus bookstores, proximate art supply stores, or stationery stores (beware not to use India inks or calligraphy inks though). You should be able to see the ink before you buy it, maybe. That should tide you over until you can visit a store or order on line. Good luck!

I'm in a really big city, but actually, I order most ink from
the internet:

www.pendemonium.com (MANY brands, and some old stuff)
www.peartreepens.com (home of the dandy ink sampler program)
www.thewritefill.com (The Write Fill kit, PR, Noodlers)
www.inkednib.com (Noodlers, ALL of R&K, PR, Visconti, Pelikan)

No commercial connection with the above but all have been
good merchants for me.

Not all that close to you, but there are two stores in Virginia Beach:

Swisher Pens
www.swisherpens.com
Shops at Hilltop
1560 Laskin Road, Suite 158
10-6 Monday-Saturday

A Pen Lovers Paradise
www.apenloversparadise.com
2488 North Landing Road, Suite 112
10-6 Monday-Saturday

In Richmond:

Paradise Pen Company
Stony Point Mall
9200 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 169
10-9 Monday-Saturday
12-6 Sunday

How about the Pear Tree Pens sampler programme? You can choose 4 inks that you think you like in little bottles, and if you do like it that's good, but if you don't you're only one fill down. I have not tried it myself, but that seems to be the recommendation when someone isn't sure of what they want.

The inks available in Danville are limited to Quink Washable Blue, Quink Blue-Black, Slovenian Skrip Black, and Waterman Black. I have one of each. The remainder of my collection comes from a couple of shops in Richmond (Paradise as well as a small jewelry store in Chesterfield County with a few PR inks) or on the Internet.

I do think the most likely place to run across ink would be Blacksburg. There are a lot of small specialty shops downtown if I remember right. I can't think of anybody specific, but I haven't been in Blacksburg in years at this point.

Whatever you can find, I can think of worse places to be in the area. I rather like Danville, but I'm from even farther west in the state and remember very well how it was back when I lived there.