Exeter

[parker51man]

Have just spent an exciting weekend in Exeter Christmas shopping with my wife and eldest daughter. To stop myself falling asleep I thought I would try and find a retailer of writing instruments. Started in John Lewis, sorry sir we have a small display (6 ballpoint pens) in the corner of, wait for it, the perfume department. W H Smiths only had a few cheap card mounted cartridge pens. I am absolutely disgusted that a university town does not have a shop that sells quality fountain pen. Please if any local resident that point me to an oasis of calm next time I am subjected to more shopping, please point me in the right direction.

 

 

[Pickwick]

Looking on the internet W.H. Smith offer approximately 100 fountain pens by Lamy, Sheaffer, Parker and Waterman and a few others. These can be found in their London stores as an example. I would imagine the same would go for other major cities in the UK.

[da vinci]

I used to work in Exeter in the early 90's.

 

There was a wonderful shop there in Bedford Street that then moved to Cathedral Green. Name began with an "S". I bought my first MB (146) there and a Pelikan m200 I believe. It had something for every one. Long gone now I am told, and the last time I was there (couple of years ago) I couldnt see a shop that had replaced it.

[da vinci]

Looking on the internet W.H. Smith offer approximately 100 fountain pens by Lamy, Sheaffer, Parker and Waterman and a few others. These can be found in their London stores as an example. I would imagine the same would go for other major cities in the UK.

Whilst the online offering may look good, in my experience the WH Smiths stores are poorly stocked in the main, although I confess I have not been to one in London.

 

Exeter is probably better described as a minor rather than a major city.

[Centopar]

Smith's is a pen desert these days: when I was a kid (some decades ago) my parents used to take me there for school pen shopping, and I had a number of Vectors from Smith's; they also sold the Sonnet Fougere my little bro got me for my 21st. (Sadly lost in a burglary in the 90s; I've not got round to replacing it because I'm not a Parker person these days, but I really ought to.)

 

Times have changed, and they're a much scruffier outfit now, mostly geared towards magazines and low-end school stationery. These days, you can buy very little in the way of fountain pens there. My local branch in Cambridge occasionally has some Safaris...and, yes, some Vectors, if you're lucky. They certainly wouldn't be my first choice online, either; I'd rather give my business to a non-chain specialist.

Edited November 25, 2013 by Centopar

[LucasLCC]

Being a resident, I've certainly not come across a pen shop. Certainly not in the city centre area.

 

Lucas

[Inkysloth]

Looking on the internet W.H. Smith offer approximately 100 fountain pens by Lamy, Sheaffer, Parker and Waterman and a few others. These can be found in their London stores as an example. I would imagine the same would go for other major cities in the UK.

WH Smiths online has a good selection of often highly reduced fountain pens.

 

WH Smiths in person has a pretty crummy selection of a few full & overpriced Lamy Safaris & maybe an Al-Star, a few Parkers, and possibly a couple of others. It's sad how Smiths really isn't that great a stationers amy more.

[da vinci]

I used to work in Exeter in the early 90's.

There was a wonderful shop there in Bedford Street that then moved to Cathedral Green. Name began with an "S". I bought my first MB (146) there and a Pelikan m200 I believe. It had something for every one. Long gone now I am told, and the last time I was there (couple of years ago) I couldnt see a shop that had replaced it.

Its come back to me! Not sure where I got S from, Elands was the name of the shop! I miss going there when I return.

[da vinci]

Being a resident, I've certainly not come across a pen shop. Certainly not in the city centre area.

 

Lucas

Hmmm, sounds like an opportunity?