Head Back To School in Style with 3 Local Stationery Stores
Explore notebooks, pens and more stylish school supplies
For students heading back to school, there often isn’t enough time to collect everything on your to-do lists. From class textbooks to updated ID cards, finding the perfect notebook or agenda often falls by the wayside. But a fresh set of pens or a tasteful notepad can elevate your return to the academic lifestyle and prepare you for the year ahead—even if you don’t feel it. Here, we’ve rounded up three local Toronto shops with a lofty selection of stationery, notebooks, and other must-haves to get a jump start on your studies.
Take Note, 2993 Dundas Street West
When modern pen and stationery shop Take Note’s owner Jolanta immigrated from her home in Poland to lay down new roots in Canada, all she brought with her was her family, $200 and one beloved Montblanc pen. Her passion for pen and ink continues today. With a premium array of writing instruments, the shop dedicates itself to quality design. Located in the heart of The Junction, Take Note is the perfect option for those who value the art of writing.
With a variety of international brands, including Rhodia from France, Germany’s Leuchtturm1917 and the Italian Fabriano, Take Note is prepared for all your stationery needs. From Japan, try the range of Hobonichi notebooks, pictured here with white, mango or navy-coloured covers, which feature thin, Tomoe River paper which resists bleeding making it perfect for planners.
Kid Icarus, 205 Augusta Avenue
Smack dab in the middle of Kensington Market, screen printing studio and retail store Kid Icarus commits to contemporary craft. With a variety of services, from custom screen-printing workshops and rubber stamp-making to wedding design, this is a one-stop shop for locally made items, including Kid Icarus’ own line of greeting cards and gifts and other Canadian-made goods.
When looking for quality stationery sets, the store’s personal line boasts a variety of excellent, locally made options. Designed and hand-printed in their studio, the Kid Icarus Stationery Set ‘Fish of Ontario’ includes a stack of 10 writing sheets and 5 envelopes all bearing the illustrations of brown trout, yellow perch, and other local aquatic life. ‘The Regional Assembly Stationery Set’ on the other hand features a simpler design, with 12 outdoor-themed sheets and 6 clover green envelopes, for the more minimalist stationery enthusiast.
Paper Plus Cloth, 1340 Queen Street West
Next stop for back to school shopping, Parkdale. Specializing in Japanese, Taiwanese, Malaysian, and Korean stationery supplies, Paper Plus Cloth defines itself as “a creative supply company providing products and workshops to feed your creative soul.” While the store’s tagline may be bold, Paper Plus Cloth delivers, offering a wide selection of excellent paper and pen options and community-oriented creative workshops.
When searching for the perfect notebook, deciding between lined, dotted, gridded, or blank can be a tough decision. Luckily, Japanese brand Midori features all these options. With a thread-stitched construction that allows for the notebook to lie flat while writing, Midori notebooks enhance the writing experience with elegance and functionality.
