All about Stationery Supplies
Stationery Supplies is an award winning, female led, family run independent stationery, greeting card and gift retailer with two shops in Marple and Wilmslow, Cheshire.
In 2005 I left behind a career in nursing to follow my dream of being a shop owner, I followed my love of stationery and bought an existing independent retail shop in Marple, Cheshire. Despite having no previous experience of either retail or running my own business the move was a success and I’ve just celebrated 18 years of being a shopkeeper.
Then in 2020, mid pandemic, a fellow Office Club member asked me if I’d like to buy his shop, in Wilmslow, as he was retiring. My eldest daughter was looking for a working environment which would support her mental health, and so it seemed a perfect fit.
At the heart of everything we do is our local communities, we feel strongly that it’s important to give back to the community around our shop and we do this by supporting local events, raising money for local charities and being part of the local business community.
Growth and Achievements
Diversification has been key to survival in the last few years as retail has faced unprecedented challenges. I’ve done this by looking at our local community and customer demographic and by monitoring sales. And from this I’ve successfully introduced new gift ranges. I’ve also extended our eco offering due to customer demand, for example more refillable pens, and refills. It has also helped me to adapt my buying accordingly, and greeting card sales are 30% up on pre-pandemic.
Successful Shortlisting
It’s truly an honour to have been recognised and shortlisted in 3 categories in the Boss awards - Independent Retailer, Campaign of the year for my work with National Stationery Week and Professional of the Year. To see Stationery Supplies up there amongst some really massive brands within the industry and to be recognised as a worthy contestant is honestly unbelievable. I am so proud of my shops and of the great Stationery Supplies team.
I was astounded to have been nominated for Professional of the Year, as this is a category, I don’t naturally see myself fitting into. I look at that category and see people of incredible calibre and from big corporations. And there’s me, nestled in with them. Its phenomenal, to have so many people behind me, believing in me and putting me in there with people I look up to. Wow.
Tell us more
Alongside running my two shops I coordinate National Stationery Week, a nationwide campaign celebrating stationery in all its forms aiming get more consumers into shops by encouraging people to put pen to paper.
And I also lead a Facebook group – The Indie Stationers Network – a place for independent stationers to find support, friendship and advice. Being able to share the day to day ups and downs of retail life with people who are walking the same path is invaluable.
