Each 40-page notepad features lined, perforated sheets inside a matchbook-style cover, making them ideal for throwing in your purse or tossing by a phone for quick messages.

Mixing and matching your favorite patterns is easy … the line is thoughtfully designed to perfectly coordinate as a group of 16 or in smaller groupings.

Email us at info@madpark.com to find out more about our Bijoux Matchpad program or to shop online now, click here to visit Parkside Papers.com.

]]> http://www.woosterandprince.com/?feed=rss2&p=276 0 http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=242 http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=242#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:19:02 +0000 Amy http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=242 Every retail environment is a clear statement of the sensibility and style of the owners and at Fusion Designs Gallery in Brooklyn, New York, this is certainly true.  The owners, Greg Schmitz and Lee Dillon, have created an airy, light, well-edited space that features artwork by Lee Dillon as well as Lee’s incredibly talented parents.  Visitors to their store-cum-gallery can indulge in this serene environment and enjoy the art and design that speaks for itself against the spare white walls.  We recently asked Greg about their success with the opening of their store/gallery and what tips they can offer others in retail.

1. How long have you and your partner, Lee Dillon, had your gallery/store? What prompted you to open it?

Lee and I started our small design firm in the Spring of 2001 breaking into the Stationery Industry. We were working out of a fourth floor walk up in Brooklyn. As the demand for our product line grew, we needed to find a ground floor space for logistic purposes including housing our inventory. Fortunately, our commercial space in the building became available and we decided to go for it. With the space we had, we decided not only to use it for distribution but for a retail store front and a gallery featuring Lee’s  and his parents’,  Caldecott winners Leo and Diane Dillons, original art. We have been open for nearly two years

2. Your space in Brooklyn is characterized by clean white walls, simple, linear fixtures, and lots of light. The gallery is always tastefully edited, never feeling overcrowded or stuffed with product. Can you describe your merchandising strategy? How does this clean, airy aesthetic affect the way customers view and purchase your products?

Lee and I have always felt that less is more. With that in mind, we designed the gallery according to our own aesthetic to highlight the artwork and product assortment. We went with all Atrium White throughout the space and chose and/or built clean fixtures to exhibit the product and and also hide the cash wrap equipment. We merchandise our retail product including our stationery and jewelry on one side of the space and the original art on the other. This simple strategy makes it easy for our clients to focus.

3. The gallery exhibits original pieces by your partner Lee Dillon, but you also sell stationery and gift items designed with his artwork. How does this affect the demographics of your customer base? Are most of your customers art buyers who happen to pick up stationery when they visit, or are there people who come to you specifically for cards and other gifts?

Our gallery has really become a destination for our unique stationery and jewelry pieces. We have kept our price points very reasonable so they are accessible to everyone with a discerning eye. Many of our designs are based on the original art which can run anywhere between $400 and up to $30,000. We feel everyone should be able to have the opportunity to appreciate art. If they are unable to bring home one of the originals, they can walk away with an affordable card or piece of jewelry designed by the artists. We also have opening parties for our client base when we switch out new shows.

4. You’re located in the beautiful neighborhood of Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Do you believe this presents any unique challenges or benefits over other locations in New York City and the country? Has the neighborhood changed since you first opened your doors, and if so, has it affected the way you market yourself to the community?

Our neighborhood is fantastic! Our customers are very loyal and like to shop locally at many of the independently owned boutiques and specialty markets. We are very close to the City and many of our shoppers work there but live here and like the cozy feeling of the neighborhood. The area is constantly changing. We have a fabulous new park that opened down the block which has really increased traffic.

5. I understand you live above the gallery! What are the pluses and minuses to that? And would you do it all over again if you had the choice?

Living above the gallery makes for a VERY easy commute. However, because I am so close, I end up being there all the time (even on days off) because there is always something to do. Opening the gallery is one of the best things we have ever done and I love being around people. I would definitely do this again. Maybe we could have a satellite gallery in Italy someday!

Stylish and sturdy, these aren’t your everyday kitchen magnets!  No, these are beautifully designed little jewels that make a nice statement on the fridge or bulletin board.

For the upcoming Holiday season, you can find our newest Holiday patterns on all sizes and shapes of Clicks.

Perfect for displaying your favorite Holiday cards on the fridge or bulletin board.

To find out more about where to buy Wooster & Prince Clicks for iPop … click here.

]]> http://www.woosterandprince.com/?feed=rss2&p=225 0 http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=151 http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=151#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:24:07 +0000 Amy http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=151 Our new collection of chinois-inspired patterns is called “Good Life” — a name that seemed to perfectly befit the silhouetted geishas, pagodas and serene water gardens of the main chinoiserie pattern.

Rendered in grassy green, crisp white and periwinkle highlights, the “Good Life” collection includes our best-selling Notecard Portfolios, our award-winning Desktop Notes, Vintage Journals and Petite Thank You Notes.

Inspiration for the “Good Life” collection springs from our love of chinoiserie.  Click here to read more about the history of this beautiful design style at Amy Ormond’s blog.

Emphasizing stylish party products that are easy to clean up, the article features images of a Chinoiserie/Toile inspired table setting, perfect for any garden party. Our “Good Life” art paper serves as a table runner – an easy way to dress up a plain picnic table! We love the pairing of pink and green, along with the cute origami crane. For more information on the article, and instructions on making a paper crane, visit www.womansday.com

We are very grateful to Woman’s Day, and we can’t wait to see what great decorating ideas they come up with next.

Of course, we like to mix things up here in the studio, so we varied from the traditional red, white & blue a bit with hints of cream, peach, and gold. Even so, there are few things that evoke summer nostalgia like these cute art-paper pinwheels.

This year, I will dot my driveway with our own parade of pinwheels.  It’s a lovely way to welcome guests to the party.  A cluster of pinwheels in a vase also makes a festive statement, as colorful as cut flowers but much longer-lasting.

With high quality paper in sophisticated patterns and beautiful embellishments like upholstery nails, a grouping of  pinwheels could even be an elegant center piece for an outdoor wedding.

These pinwheels are made using several pieces of Wooster & Prince art paper (“Quidnet Lattice”, “In Town”, and “Double Happiness”), a painted dowel, and a decorative upholstery nail. Just add spray glue and a few simple cuts and you’re ready to go. To download our pinwheel instructions and template, click here.

]]> http://www.woosterandprince.com/?feed=rss2&p=163 0 http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=187 http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=187#comments Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:23:49 +0000 Amy http://www.woosterandprince.com/?p=187 We had a great time at this year’s National Stationery Show, which was held back in May at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. Not only were we surrounded by so many of the creative individuals who make this business great, but it gave Wooster & Prince the opportunity to introduce the new products we’ve been developing over the past year.

You may have read that our new Desktop Notes were honored with a “Best New Product” award, and we are especially thankful to Paperclips, for including a list of this year’s winners in their recent issue. We were certainly in great company, and we look forward to to the next great show

Exciting news!  Our “Good Life” chinoiserie art paper was featured in a segment on this morning’s Today Show. Elizabeth Mayhew, Editor-in-Chief of Woman’s Day Magazine, chose our paper as the underpinning for a fun and fresh-looking “Garden Party” table display.

The table was one of four Mayhew assembled for her story on “Perfect Backyard Party Paper Goods”.  She suggests using wrapping paper for a sophisticated yet convenient table cloth for summer parties  … and we couldn’t agree more!  To view the clip, just hit play on the video below. To see the whole segment, click here.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Thank you Elizabeth, for including us!

She shares with us below her perspectives on running this lovely store as well as some of her savvy merchandising tips.

Q:  How long have you been in business?
I’ve been in business for six years. I opened in April of 2004.

Q:  How large is your store?
My store is approximately 425 square feet (I think that includes half of the hallway I share with the store next door!)

Q: You are in a gorgeous but mostly seasonal destination spot. How do you plan for the seasonality of your business?
Gosh, it is so ingrained in me (from all my years of working retail on Nantucket) that it is kind of hard to answer! But, from the beginning, I laid the foundation. For example, when I negotiated my first lease, I set it up so that my rent is mostly paid during the busy summer months and shoulder season. I basically “lumped” my rent payments, so I don’t have that expense hanging over my head in the winter. I also cut back hours and staff in the winter months.

Ordering is more difficult. For example, I go light with my holiday orders and really use that time to sell stock that is on hand. In January, I only bring in a few things, like thank you notes for post holiday writings. Spring is hard, but in late march/early April I start restocking more aggressively. I take a calendar and map out which shipments are arriving when, so that I can plan for payment. I jump for joy whenever someone is offering a special with dating- net 60 is huge and net 90 makes me dance in the streets! Fortunately, I can use my line of credit with our local bank in the spring, and pay it off throughout the summer. Another thing that helps tremendously is the custom side of my business. While winter is very quiet on Nantucket, it is the time that early summer brides are working on their wedding invitations. For me it’s a great source of revenue, and my brides truly get my undivided attention during those quiet months!

You’re right, I do it by color. That is just how I see things, and how they make sense to me. When I was first opening the shop, I had all the merchandise on the floor and nothing on the shelves. Then I started putting like colors together, and it was an epiphany! One nice thing about this method  is that when customers coming in, “Just looking for some note cards,” I tell them to go to the color they like, and there will most likely be something for them. In addition, when customers are putting a gift together, I often recommend building a color story. For example, they might find some pink note cards that they love, so we will put it together with a pink journal and pen, and then they look as though they were meant to be together.

My other approach to merchandising is that I don’t use company fixtures that are sold with collections. I find it more fun to use things that I find when I have time to antique. Also, some of my shelving is narrow and doesn’t allow a lot of room. I use empty boxes behind-the-scenes to lift up merchandise and vary the height of different displays. I find this gives the displays a little more depth, which is more appealing to the eye.

Q: What is the best tip you could give to another retailer about remaining successful in a tough economy?
I was not sad to see 2009 leave us – what a year! The wonderful thing about the type of products that I stock is that if something is selling really well, I can most likely get back into it quickly, so I kept my inventory tight as compared to other years. When writing orders, the question I asked myself over and over was this: “Is it the best of the best? Or the best of what they have to offer?” (To give credit where credit is due, this mantra comes from my days of working for the dynamic owners of Hepburn and Zero Main.) This kept me from buying something out of habit, and truly sticking to what is great! I think when you have companies that you buy from year after year, it becomes easy to buy from them just because you always do, and not because what they are offering is different and wonderful.

The number one most important thing is to remember why we are doing this – for our customers. I try to keep this in mind (even though sometimes it’s hard!) and treat them with kindness. Even when I don’t remember a name, I try to convey that I remember the face, and greet them warmly. And I always, always thank them for their business.

~

Thank you Heidi for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us.  You can visit her lovely store at:

Parchment Fine Papers

11 Washington Street

Nantucket, MA  02554

508-228-4110

~

** For more ideas on how to display inventory in your store, visit our Merchandising Tips section for ideas and downloadable templates.

Wooster & Prince kicked off the 2010 National Stationery Show with the introduction of our new Desktop Notes which won the award for “Best New Product!”

This lovely new product received lots of attention at the 2010 National Stationery Show from both our customers and many industry veterans who voted it “Best New Product” in Desk Accessories. We are so pleased to have been selected from among hundreds of entries. What an honor!

Elegantly designed with an Asian-style footed base, each Desktop Note box holds 200 loose paper sheets with a die-cut channel to hold your favorite pen

Our Desktop Notes will be available in June 2010 in four of our top-selling pattern collections: “Double Happiness”, “In Town”, “Good Life”, and”Hither Creek”.

Wrapped in a lovely grosgrain ribbon, each Desktop Note is a perfect ready-to-give gift on its own or coordinated with other items in our line like stationery, journals, and file folders in the same collection patterns.