I Just Can't Go Into A B&m Store Anymore

[EricaTX]

Oooh. I'll have to check out that web page.

[inkeverywhere]

Bricks and mortar strores - just love them. I am lucky enough to have two in Brisbane, Australia, where I live, both about half an hour away. I love going to them, the staff are wonderful, atmosphere to die for, never too much trouble to dip test a pen to try it or an ink. Most times I come away buying something I really shouldn't have and really not caring.

 

The down side comes in the limited range of pens and inks they stock (in my local stores anyway) and even worse the prices charged, no doubt to keep in business as a B&M store.

 

As much as I prefer to deal with local businesses, brands stocked and prices comes into most people's consideration including mine. Letting your fingers do the walking around the internet suppliers often makes sense too, but be assured impulse buying happens there as well.

 

Greg

[Frank C]

The closest thing we have to a pen store in Las Vegas is two Montblanc Boutiques. Whenever I'm in the shopping centers where they're located, I always stop in. I usually walk out with a bottle or two of ink, but once in a while, they have a "private sale" and a pen or two hops into my shirt pocket.

 

I'm just glad we don't have a full range pen store here. When I lived in Washington, D.C., Fahrney's was just a short walk from where I lived. Now that was trouble!

[BillZ]

The "nice man" may have been brother Willie Dromgoole. Both of the brothers and the rest of the staff are wonderful! Been

hanging out there and buying pens for over 6 years now. I still eat but not as often!LOL

I try to make it there once/month. Maybe we'll meet.

[Frank C]

The "nice man" may have been brother Willie Dromgoole. Both of the brothers and the rest of the staff are wonderful! Been

hanging out there and buying pens for over 6 years now. I still eat but not as often!LOL

I try to make it there once/month. Maybe we'll meet.

 

Now that is an idea. The Fountain Pen Diet. Spend all your money on pens, so you can't afford food. Then lose weight. I think I'll write a book. The first draft will be with a fountain pen, of course!

[EricaTX]

 

Now that is an idea. The Fountain Pen Diet. Spend all your money on pens, so you can't afford food. Then lose weight. I think I'll write a book. The first draft will be with a fountain pen, of course!

 

Hahaha. Maybe I should look into that diet as well.

[EricaTX]

The "nice man" may have been brother Willie Dromgoole. Both of the brothers and the rest of the staff are wonderful! Been

hanging out there and buying pens for over 6 years now. I still eat but not as often!LOL

I try to make it there once/month. Maybe we'll meet.

Thanks. I've never seen him before. Usually I go on Saturdays and I see Larry and the Pen Doctor. This time, I stumbled in on Friday - and definitely saw a few faces I haven't seen before.

 

I'm sure I'll see you there eventually. I just can't stay away... :-)

[Manalto]

This time, I stumbled in on Friday -

 

Ooooo... bad idea to drink so much beforehand. You know how it removes your inhibitions!

[BillZ]

Willie doesn't work on Saturday. Not sure why. He's more of a low profile kind of guy but also very nice, helpful and knowledgeable. He rides a Harley-Davidson. It's usually parked out in front of the store.

[kansaskyle]

I'm over in Austin where the only pen store I know about is Paradise Pens.

I've been thinking about planning a trip over to Houston to visit Dromgoole's, although I'm sure I'll need some kind of cover story to convince my bride it is a trip for us to get away for a weekend.

[EricaTX]

I'm over in Austin where the only pen store I know about is Paradise Pens.

 

I've been thinking about planning a trip over to Houston to visit Dromgoole's, although I'm sure I'll need some kind of cover story to convince my bride it is a trip for us to get away for a weekend.

 

Tell her you want to take her to Killen's BBQ, or go to the museums! :-)

[nickmazur]

I'm over in Austin where the only pen store I know about is Paradise Pens.

 

I've been thinking about planning a trip over to Houston to visit Dromgoole's, although I'm sure I'll need some kind of cover story to convince my bride it is a trip for us to get away for a weekend.

I would love to go over to Dromgoole's one of these days. I've never been. Does anyone know what they're like?

[FinalEleven]

I actually went to my local B&M store (Fountain Pen Hospital) today...I spent an hour just thinking about things I could buy and things I SHOULD buy...I was actually REALLY close to purchasing a Pilot Vanishing Point in Tropical Purple and a Monteverde Invincia Stealth Black. I was THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS close to purchasing both of them...But I decided not to because I was going to make a pen purchase from japan soon and I should save some money for that.

 

...What I did end up getting though was Ink! I ended up buying Sailor Jentle Yama-Dori and the new Montblanc Meisterstuck Blue Hour Twilight Blue limited edition ink. I also bought a standard international converter for random pens and a 1.1 Lamy Stub nib that I've been wanting for a while now.

 

But my god, I spent at least half an hour debating internally whether or not to buy some pens that I've been eyeing...

[Sabin]

I feel sorry for you guys...I am cured.. I have more than six month since the last pen purchase. One step at the time.. ( the low Canadian dollar also helps)

The last one just before Christmas was a Pelikan Cities Series...The Grand Place with an OB nib.

What can I say.. Go brave..

[cleosmama]

I'm over in Austin where the only pen store I know about is Paradise Pens.

 

I've been thinking about planning a trip over to Houston to visit Dromgoole's, although I'm sure I'll need some kind of cover story to convince my bride it is a trip for us to get away for a weekend.

 

Dromgoole's is in a section of Houston called "Rice Village" (behind Rice University). There's plenty of restaurants and shopping there (oh, and Half-Price Books--did I say? And did I say they sometimes carry fountain pen friendly journals, too?). We go over from Lafayette to visit the museums and to eat at Pasha's, the Istanbul Grill, the Indian restaurants and Thai Village--and visit Dromgoole's. The Best Western on Main is often very affordable and reasonably close and has free parking.

[Earthdawn]

I would love to go over to Dromgoole's one of these days. I've never been. Does anyone know what they're like?

 

Dromgoole's is an amazing store with amazing people. You will feel right at home and treated as such.

 

I was lucky enough to visit there once. Larry was there and helped me and let me wander around... No matter what you buy ... even if you walk out empty handed you will remember the experience.

 

I did a write up on it with pictures... The place is PACKED with pens and ink and paper.

 

http://www.fountainpenday.org/2014/11/dromgooles-houston/

[shawndp]

Sabin - I'm in the same canoe as you with pen restraint due to the Canadian $. With almost 30% of a premium to overcome it makes even tempting sales bearable. I'm saving up in the hope that the exchange rate drops at least .15 ... I have experimented with a couple of European vendors for Lamy stuff (with excellent results - but I don't need more than 10 Lamys!). Plus my fav B&M (Wonderpens) moved and I haven't been to their new location.

[inkstainedruth]

Sabin - I'm in the same canoe as you with pen restraint due to the Canadian $. With almost 30% of a premium to overcome it makes even tempting sales bearable. I'm saving up in the hope that the exchange rate drops at least .15 ... I have experimented with a couple of European vendors for Lamy stuff (with excellent results - but I don't need more than 10 Lamys!). Plus my fav B&M (Wonderpens) moved and I haven't been to their new location.

I was just there a couple of weekends ago, while on a trip to Toronto. They're not all that easy to find, because their address is actually around the south side of the building, not actually on Carlaw. And while they told me via email that there was a parking lot up around the corner with Dundas, I'm not sure it was public parking (and street parking was moderately suckful -- some guy running across the street on Carlaw actually came back and stopped traffic into I could get into a space, because the drivers would not even slow down for the poor American girl.... Don't know if Toronto traffic is normally that awful, or just that it was the beginning of Friday night rush hour. The only plus they have over Boston drivers is that they do seem to understand what turn signals are for in Toronto....

The guy in there told me that they have a lot more room than in their old location, though.

I picked up a bottle of Noodler's Blue from the Plains of Abraham, and some very silly cat-shaped paperclips.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Baalberithim]

I need to avoid entering the Fountain Pen Hospital or Kinokuniya if I want to escape an outing without spending too much. At FPH I always find myself grabbing at least a bottle of ink, nevermind that I've got a bunch of full ones at home. Kinokuniya kills me for paper, I always find a new notebook that catches my eye. I'm pretty well stocked for pencils and pens at the moment, though, which is usually my pretext for a Kinokuniya visit. "Oh, I need a Hi-uni 2B and another .38 Uni Signo DX in blue-black, I'll be quick..."

[PAKMAN]

My B&M is just as dangerous. Vanness Pens! But at least they are 75 miles away, so I don't go but once a month. Dromgooles is great, they bring half the store with them when they come to the Dallas pen show so Larry always seems to get some of my pen show money!