You might well think that a stationery store is only needed if you are looking to upgrade your desk space or are in need of a new pencil case at the start of the school year but the reality is that London’s best stationery shops sell so much more than simply the perfect pen.
These largely independent stores are a joy to discover, with shelves stocked full of beautiful fountain pens and elegant notebooks, alongside hand marbled paper, hand-painted greetings cards, decorative papers, stylish weekly planners and much more.
So, if you are looking to upgrade your desk space, are looking for an original gift or simply have a love of stationery, we’ve rounded up some of the best stationery shops in London to serve your every stationery need.
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The best stationery shops in London
Table of Contents
Choosing Keeping
Located in Covent Garden is Choosing Keeping, one of the best London stationery shops in town and one of my favourites. The store started life along Columbia Road in East London but for the last few years has been located in Central London.
You can spend hours in here browsing the beautiful stationery, all sourced from small, independent suppliers. The focus is on high-quality stationery and stock includes Japanese and Italian writing papers, gold nib fountain pens, Japanese pencils, hand-marbled papers and more, including some beautiful glass paperweights that I’m saving my pennies for.
Pentreath & Hall
The Pentreath & Hall shop on Lambs Conduit Street is a beautiful store but it stocks just a fraction of what the online emporium does. Favourites of mine include the alphabet brush pots and patterned box files but there’s so much more to covet including elegant candlesticks and stylish waste paper baskets (yes, apparently rubbish bins can be beautiful too!). Browse online and then pick up your purchases in their London store.
Muji
Muji is well known for its fun minimal products that range from homewares to fashion but what we really love this store for is its Japanese stationery at an affordable price point.
This is the place to come for everyday essentials for work and school from desktop organisers and storage to tape dispensers and notebooks. We are particularly fond of their gel ink pen sets that make great presents. They also do a good range of coloured pencils.
There are various Muji locations around London, try the one at Tottenham Court Road.
Cass Art
Serious artists and serious amateur artists should head straight for a Cass Art store. Created with the aim of making art accessible for all, no matter age or experience, this small chain of shops have been described as “a sweet shop for artists”. Come here for easels and canvases or stock up on pastels and pencils. They really do have everything you need to get creative.
You’ll find Cass Art shops in six locations around London including Hampstead, Soho and the flagship store in Islington. If you can’t pop into a physical store then they also have a very good online shop.
London Graphic Centre
Located in Covent Garden in the heart of London, is this one-stop shop for anything you might need to either get creative or get organised. The London Graphic Centre been a favourite with graphic designers, artists, architects, students and more ever since it first opened. A wide range of tools and materials are displayed over two floors.
Tate Modern Store
Although not a dedicated stationery store, the shop at the Tate Modern deserves a mention because of its good-looking stationery items.
Among the many creative gifts that they sell are sketchbooks in contemporary designs, washable felt pens, patterned washi tape, make-your-own postcard kits and more. It’s a great place to pick up fun gifts, particularly for kids.
Cowling and Wilcox
Cowling and Wilcox have four shops, three in London and one in Canterbury in Kent. These are among the best stationery shops in London and stock a huge array of high quality art supplies from brands including Faber-Castell, Winsor & Newton, Reeves and more. Come here for fine and graphic art materials or simply to stock up your craft cupboard at home.
There are three shops in London in Shoreditch, Camberwell and Highbury.
Smiggle
Among the best stationery stores for young kids, especially those who love a lot of sparkle, is Smiggle. These high street stores are a treasure trove of all things bright and shiny with patterned backpacks, colourful lunchboxes and water bottles, all manner of themed notebooks (some with glitter, others that are furry), funky diaries, and much more.
The shops are a riot of colour (no simple Scandi design here!) and perfect for young stationery addicts. There are various locations around London.
Stuart R. Stevenson
Stuart R. Stevenson is a family run independent shop in Clerkenwell that in 1994 was granted the Royal Warrant by Her Majesty the Queen.They have been selling artist tools alongside materials for gilding and restoration since 1980 and remain one of the beset stationery stores for serious artists. Artists pigments, wax stamps and sealing wax also line their shelves.
Present & Correct
Present & Correct is a one-stop destination for stationery that is both cool and practical is this independent stationery shop in east London. The owners regularly travel around the world and so their stock is huge and wide-ranging with everything inspired by homework, the post office and school from more than 18 countries.
Expect items such as funky metal paper clips, rotary pencil sharpeners and stylish weekly planners as well as elegant Viarco pencils, white school chalk from Finland, a 1971 spring stamp set from Bulgaria, stainless steel scissors crafted in Japan and two tone ballpoint pens from Sweden.
Marby & Elm
Located in Exmouth Market is Marby & Elm, one of the small but perfectly formed independent shops along this stylish street.
Their speciality are cards and prints with witty slogans that are designed, printed and packaged in-house. They also sell candles, gift bags, calendars, pens and more. It’s a great one for teens or if you’re looking for a fun present for a friend.
Search & Rescue
One of the most stylish stationery shops in town is Search & Rescue, which not only sells beautiful notebooks, weekly planners and the perfect pens to go with them, but also a varied and stylish range of homewares.
Other items for sale include candles and ceramics as well as jewellery (including fun embroidered brooches), fragrances and small range of kids’ wall art.
You will find Search & Rescue on Stoke Newington Church Street.
Liberty
One of the city’s most famous stores is also one of the best stationery shops in London. Head to the ground floor of this iconic shop and you will find the stationery department stocked with diaries, notebooks, desk accessories, cards and rolls of wrapping paper all in the company’s signature ‘Liberty prints’. They make a great gift or souvenir from London.
Liberty is located on Regent Street.
Labour and Wait
Located in an old Truman pub that was once called the Dolphin is the very stylish Labour and Wait.
The shop, one of a handful of excellent independent stores located along Redchurch Street in east London, is not a dedicated stationery shop, they sell all manner of household goods and practical items from brooms and buckets to felt slippers and enamelware, all inspired by vintage items and designed and built to last.
They also have a very cool stationery section with mechanical pencils, notebooks, exercise books, postcards and chalk from Kreiden, Germany’s oldest chalk factory, founded in 1870.
The flagship store is at 85 Redchurch Street and they also have branches in Marylebone, Dover Street Market and Bethnal Green.
Oh Squirrel
This online stationery shop is perfect for teen girls in particular and is included in this list as they sometimes have pop-up shops. Visit Oh Squirrel for calendars featuring motivational words, fun prints and warm-hearted hand lettered cards as well as cool stationery, paper goods and gifts such as personalised tote bags and pencil cases.
Papersmiths
Papersmiths is a feel good concession located inside Wolf & Badger, the store that champions independent labels. Originally located in the Coal Drops Yard branch, you can now find Papersmiths in their Soho store.
They stock everything from academic year planners and wall calendars to notebooks, journals, a range of books and some very stylish pens and pencils.
Mount Street Printers
For beautiful and bespoke stationery head for Mount Street Printers who are experts in producing fine and luxury stationery. This is the place to come if you’re looking for personalised writing paper, personalised business cards, one-of-a-kind party invitations or even wedding invites.
Photo Credits Depositphotos.com
