The Paper Place

The Paper Place

For more than three decades, The Paper Place has been one of those destination stores in Sisters — the kind of place folks make a point of visiting each time they come to town.

“There are people who come over three times a year and they stop and load up on cards for the year. Others always bring their children in to choose that one special vacation gift when visiting Sisters,” says owner Kara Petersen.

Over the years, The Paper Place has expanded off its base of greeting cards to include games, puzzles, children’s books, toys and unique gift items for adults — many of them under $20.

Kara purchased the store from her parents in January of 2014 and feels she is carrying on the legacy and memory of her parents, Jerry and Bob Petersen.

“One day there was a sign on the door of The Paper Place that said ‘For Sale,’” Jerry recalled several years ago. “And Bob and I said, ‘Wouldn’t that be fun – to have a little store.’ So we bought it.”

Jerry soon discovered that having her own business was a lot of fun — and a lot of work. The store grew, taking over adjacent spaces (“We just outgrew our pants,” Jerry said.)

The past 30 years have seen many changes in Sisters, many of which have made it a more favorable climate for local businesses.

“I think it’s more of a destination for people than it used to be,” says Petersen. “I think people used to stop on their way through to somewhere else — and now people come to Sisters.”

Visitors and locals alike have come to rely on The Paper Place for the perfect card and for the right gift at the right price. It’s a decades-old legacy that shows no signs of slowing down.