Art Museum Shops Tout Stationery and Handcrafted Items

from Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties - January 2021

Party and Discount Store Report

By Karen Appold

Stationery remains a staple at many art museum shops. In fact, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Mass., has a unique connection to stationery. Its founder, Isabella Stewart Gardner, lived in the Victorian era—the golden age of letter writing. The museum’s archive contains hundreds of documents and correspondence from her circle of friends which were some of the greatest artists, writers, and thinkers of the time, said Sherry Haber , museum store general manager.

The shop’s stationery assortment celebrates the art of penmanship with vintage papers and sealing waxes like those of Gardner’s time, notebooks boasting covers from classic works of literature found in her personal book collection, and stationery sets inspired by the lush florals of the museum’s courtyard, Haber said. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the shop garnered $1.2 million in annual sales.

The Phoenix Art Museum shop in Arizona sells fine quality stationery items and items that relate to an artist or theme represented in its collection. The spectrum is wide, from handmade fine letterpress greeting

“Because these artists can continue working in their genre, they’re better able to carry on cultural traditions and pass on their art forms to future generations, building a rich continuum of tradition and culture.” cards to a journal featuring an obscure Van Gogh image of a skeleton smoking a cigarette. Although its collection doesn’t include an actual Van Gogh painting, it does have a healthy representation of European and Impressionist art so it fits in and is actually a best seller, said Jennifer Barnella , retail sales manager.

- Bruce McGee, Heard Museum, Phoenix, Ariz.

The Aldrich in Ridgefield, Conn., carries handbound journals by Stationed by Hand, a bookbinder based in Norwalk, Conn. “These journals are stunning objects made with a variety of fabric covers and beautiful quality paper,” said Emily Devoe , director of marketing and communications. They come in three sizes.

Joy Shalla Glenn , operations assistant at the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Neb., said the shop carries custom designed items by artists, as well as logoed and quilt-themed stationery. Each category sells well because of the museum’s variety of visitors, she said.

Drawing Attention to Stationery

Stationery sells well for Haber, as patrons find ways to connect with loved ones from afar. Stationery is highlighted in multiple spaces throughout the 700-square-foot store. Its boxed note card assortment lines glass shelves on its wall space, while smaller stationery sets, notebooks, and pens are artfully displayed on an adjacent standalone fixture. The shop carries a line of sealing waxes and stamps that enamor guests. A stationery product with a backstory or history is a special touch.

Barnella aims to have one examination copy on display for every product. “You want people to hold, touch, and fall in love with things so hopefully they can’t live without it, which can then lead to a purchase,” she said.

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We are heartened that greeting cards are so meaningful today, helping family and friends connect and support one another. From an encouraging message to a get-well wish or cheerful hello, cards can lift a spirit and bring a smile.