The Demise Of The Fountain Pen In The Big Box Store Setting

[pienaar]

This is 2013 and fountain pens are a niche item. The only way a niche item can really be marketed is online. Even then places like our beloved friends the Goulets cant afford to carry pens that don't sell well. (And they are enthusiasts) It should not then be surprising that outfits like Staples and Office Depot that are run by bean counters wont carry fountain pens.

[akustyk]

This is 2013 and fountain pens are a niche item. The only way a niche item can really be marketed is online. Even then places like our beloved friends the Goulets cant afford to carry pens that don't sell well. (And they are enthusiasts) It should not then be surprising that outfits like Staples and Office Depot that are run by bean counters wont carry fountain pens.

 

I agree. However, there are some cheap, but excellent pens that could be easily incorporated into the inventory of Staples or Office Depot. Pens like the Pilot Varsity, Metropolitan, Plumix, Platinum Preppy, even Lamy Safari, are all excellent starter pens, even foolproof pens that work nicely out-of-the-box. The idea that fountain pens are only viable as useless executive gifts is preposterous. You can make fountain pens cool, but nobody will give it a try.

[Ted A]

The Staples near where I work has Pilot Varsity, Bic disposable, Plumix, Sheaffer calligraphy, Cross Aventura and at Christmas it had two other Cross gift FPs

[Sailor Kenshin]

This is 2013 and fountain pens are a niche item. The only way a niche item can really be marketed is online. Even then places like our beloved friends the Goulets cant afford to carry pens that don't sell well. (And they are enthusiasts) It should not then be surprising that outfits like Staples and Office Depot that are run by bean counters wont carry fountain pens.

 

I agree. However, there are some cheap, but excellent pens that could be easily incorporated into the inventory of Staples or Office Depot. Pens like the Pilot Varsity, Metropolitan, Plumix, Platinum Preppy, even Lamy Safari, are all excellent starter pens, even foolproof pens that work nicely out-of-the-box. The idea that fountain pens are only viable as useless executive gifts is preposterous. You can make fountain pens cool, but nobody will give it a try.

 

I've noticed that even in 'regular' stores, they are not re-stocking as they once did. Only when the last item is gone, it seems.

 

So while all the pens you mention will do just as you say they will, businesses no longer have the means to keep excess inventory.

[Ecriveur]

I assume this is largely a function of the rise of the Internet as a vehicle for commerce. Fountain pens haven't been a big volume item for many years, and the people who are really interested in them do their research first, then buy online or from a speciality retailer. That doesn't leave enough customers to justify keeping fountain pens on the shelf when they could use that same shelf space for high volume items that sell by the ton every week, like printer paper and big plastic jars of pretzels.

[jkbd52]

I think that fountain pens have become a niche market. My local big box places have mostly cartridges. I can't even recall seeing any proper fountain pens. I have seen some calligraphy sets from time to time. I can only seem to find fountain pens in a local mom and pop office supply store near me and they have mostly cartridges and super insanely priced fountain pens. I haven't checked them out for a while. But I think in time fountain pens will become even more scarce and we will have to rely on fewer retailers than the handful we have now. Nathan from Noodlers even says that Noodlers ink won't be around in 50 years. Nonetheless it's a great hobby.

[Maine Vintner]

I am resurrecting this thread as the OP proved prophetic. I (and apparently many others) received an email today that the Paradise Pen store in Burlington MA has suddenly and unexpectedly closed!

 

From the email: "It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you all that after 18+ years in business here in Burliongton (sic), Paradise Pen Company is no longer in business."

 

Anyone have additional context or details? Is this just this one store? First of many? The end of Paradise Pen?

 

John

[JakobS]

I only have a Staples nearby me that represents the big box store element in the area, and though their "fine writing" area always appears sparse, I was pleasently surprised to see them stock and advertise Pilot Metropolitans (MR) heavily. Being one of the best starter/ every day use pens around, its a positive addition. It maybe a small uptick, but nice to see a quality pen being offered for those both already interested, or simply curious.

Edited January 10, 2017 by JakobS

[inkstainedruth]

I only have a Staples nearby me that represents the big box store element in the area, and though their "fine writing" area always appears sparse, I was pleasently surprised to see them stock and advertise Pilot Metropolitans (MR) heavily. Being one of the best starter/ every day use pens around, its a positive addition. It maybe a small uptick, but nice to see a quality pen being offered for those both already interested, or simply curious.

 

It took awhile for my local Staples to get the Metropolitans in stock. They have various ones of the Retro Pop colors, but in blister packs, and only with F nibs (can't tell if they have converters or just take cartridges). Otherwise, they have low end Cross Bailey pens, packs of Pilot Varsities, and sometimes Sheaffer calligraphy pens and such. They seem to have done away with the carousel with sample pens entirely. They still sell various brand cartridges, and the store closest to me generally has one to three bottles of Quink Black (but on a bottom shelf, so you have to look for it. (Their website is a bit better -- I think you could get Iroshihzuku inks at one point but those don't seem to be listed now), and currently they seem to have a lot of moderately priced Monteverde pens (including some of the Mountains of the World line), and the modern Conklin pens. For high end, they have some Delta pens. For ink, they have Cross, Waterman, Parker, Sheaffer and Monteverde listed, but I'm not sure what is just cartridges (besides the Monteverde inks).

Office Max is even worse. Their selection used to be pretty sparse (although I did get a Parker Urban boxed set about 5 years ago in the closest store to me), and they carried Quink Permanent Blue cartridges for a better price than Staples -- back when they still *carried* Permanent Blue cartridges, anyway.... Before they merged with Office Max, Office Depot sold some inexpensive Yafa pens during graduation season -- but *didn't* carry replacement cartridges (and the replacement mini-cartridges had higher shipping charges than the packages themselves cost... ); they never carried Quink cartridges anyway. And the last remaining local store closed recently, with a sign in the window to go to the Office Max store about 10-12 miles away.

I had a friend that worked for a while in the Office Max near her. She hated it. I would have too -- they were apparently worse about "suggestive selling" than Jo-Ann Fabrics is....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

edited for formatting

Edited January 10, 2017 by inkstainedruth

[OwlHome]

I noticed the Pilot Metropolitan Retro Pops in my local Staples too. Maddeningly, there was no sign of cartridges for them though. They did have Waterman cartridges and some other brands though. Apparently I should have gone looking for fountain pens there years ago! I do remember trying 20 years ago but finding only a Parker that I wasn't happy with at all.

[Toll]

I just googled Paradise Pen and got a notice that they were closed effectively immediately.

[avlisyar]

I just googled Paradise Pen and got a notice that they were closed effectively immediately.

 

I had a store close to where I work. It was my goto

store for ink when I needed it in a pinch. Another

sad day in the pen world.

[matteob]

Staples storefront has gone in the UK. WH Smith used to have a selection but you don't see them now. Cross has a Mall store near me selling the pens and a range of accessories but it is only small. I think like a lot of things, the internet has taken over.

[888007888]

I am resurrecting this thread as the OP proved prophetic. I (and apparently many others) received an email today that the Paradise Pen store in Burlington MA has suddenly and unexpectedly closed!

 

From the email: "It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you all that after 18+ years in business here in Burliongton (sic), Paradise Pen Company is no longer in business."

 

Anyone have additional context or details? Is this just this one store? First of many? The end of Paradise Pen?

 

John

I was a regular at my Paradise Pen store in my local mall here in Newport Beach California. By regular I mean I was there every week to chat with the staff and look at pens while my wife shopped. I would make 2-3 purchases a month on average, pens, ink, paper, pen stands, you name it. It was such a nice place to visit. All the stores nationwide have shut their doors in one fatal and sudden swoop. I actually started a yelp account to express my sadness and to praise the store for what it was, a mini Disneyland for pen enthusiast. RIP Paradise Pen... ✒️📝