What a treasure trove for stationery enthusiasts and/or folks who just love writing!…read more A huge wall section dedicated to stickers and washi tapes and so much variety of fountain pens! Lots of journals as well. Ngl was a little overwhelmed by the large selection lol but there was a good amount of friendly staff walking around offering assistance. Price-wise I'd say fair considering shipping/import fees when comparing to online shops.

If you weren't completely obsessed with this place, I have to wonder, do you even like stationary?…read moreBecause the selection, prices, and service at Atlas cannot be beat. I live 90 minutes away, and this was on my must-do list for my trip to Chicago. I'm so glad that I finally made it here! When I was a child, I was completely obsessed with the scented Sanrio markers. Overtime, I discovered that I enjoyed journaling, and have been very selective regarding pens and paper. Atlas has it all. Maybe not Hello Kitty, grape-scented markers, but literally everything else that a nerdy pen-and-paper-obsessed person could want. I brought my 13 year old, for whom most things are *eyeroll* boring and she didn't want to leave. The washi tape and sticker area had her plotting collages and teen-angst journaling for days. For me, it was the ability to check out the pens. Of course they are known for the fabulous and gorgeous selection of fountain pens and ink. But I haven't gone down that rabbit hole yet. I am talking about the regular pens. Ballpoint, felt tip, colorful, plain, all sizes of points and inks and all wonderfully curated. And you can try them all. And here is the thing: for this level of service and attention you would think it would be too pricey, but it wasn't this is part of the reason I will keep coming back. If you haven't been here, make the journey and keep writing!

This establishment is a great place to pick up something unique for yourself or someone you need to…read moreimpress with a thoughtful, witty, or intelligent gift. They have a great selection of unique greeting cards and Chicago related items for the home. They have inclusive branded merchandise for everyone. The store is smaller but, if you take the time to read and look at everything you may be there a while and totally enjoy it.

Fun shop to visit for any gift needs! They have art and…read morecards designed by local artists as well as items like candles, mugs, jewelry, baby clothes, and more. It's great to have a store like this in the neighborhood. The folks there are always welcoming and helpful. The interior does look a little dark from the outside, so it may not be clear whether they're open or not, so they have a big sign in front when they are.

Cute as hell gifts! Stationary, stickers, and cute kitschy things (compliment) I could have spent…read moreall day in there

Went walking around Lakeview and Inkling's unique items caught my eye from the window. There are…read morequite a bit of cute and quirky items that have some personality. When you're thinking about holiday gifting items, there's a great variety of decor, trinkets, and jewelry to consider. It can be a bit visually overwhelming to look at everything, but it's well organized by content so it's very doable. The staff I interacted with were very kind and pleasant given it was a busy weekend. Prices aren't terrible, but everything is expensive these days. Will definitely be interested to see what Inkling has in store throughout the year! I'll be back to see :)

Came in looking for a fun stationary for my partner and wasn't really acknowledged at all and I…read moreasked if they had things in specific and for a suggestion and was just told no. And ignored for the rest of the time i was in there. Where as this little white woman walks in and they all flock to her and give her a million suggestions and was super nice and welcoming but with me they acted like they didn't want me there. I wouldn't shop here as a POC. *edit this was 5-27 at around 4:45pm. I'm a tall black man with locs. I've lived in logan for 6 years and I know when a staff doesn't want to help me in their store. Check your cams you'll see...

Such a cute shop in a nice area with lots of restaurants and places to see. They actually print…read moresome of their cards and stuff. LGBTQ+ is also a plus to me.

I needed quick turn around for a baby shower and hostess gift. I received immediate and friendly…read moreand helpful service. WOW! Beautiful selection! Wrapped and out the door in minutes. Thank you, Smitten!

If you're in search of Jellycat plushies, this is the spot! There's a wider variety as the holidays…read moreare coming up!

This place reeks of sewer. That put me off so much I just couldn't really breathe and I find…read morebreathing is kind of essential to be able to enjoy an experience. In addition, their cute notebooks with creamy smooth paper were unpriced, and the staff weren't paying attention to the customers trying to catch their eye / chase them around the store to ask questions. They had some cute $195 tote bags, but they looked like they may be sprayed with waterproofing forever chemicals. They had cute $16 handkerchiefs, but there were like 75 colors to choose from, and I just couldn't decide on one. Also, they were $16. For a handkerchief.

Please, do some research before buying a pen from this store. I wish I had. I'm not one to ever…read moreleave a negative review of a business but I had a very upsetting experience at this store. I wanted to get myself a nice pen so I bought a $95 Kaweco pen from this store. Signs on the wall said returns are accepted within 30 days and the salesperson told me I'd be able to return the item. When I got home, I really didn't like how the pen wrote on my notebook. I returned to this store well within the 30 day window to return the pen. The first person I spoke to was kind and told me that they could accept the return. Then a woman came over who told me that I can't return the pen because I have used it. She suggested that I ruined the function of the pen by messing with the nib, which I never did. She didn't introduce herself or ask me any questions to clarify what I didn't like about the product, and turned and walked away when I still had unresolved questions. I definitely feel that the way I was treated was not appropriate. Overall, what I experienced was a very stuck-up, "you're not worth our time" attitude and feeling from this Topdrawer store. After getting back home I did a bit of research and ended up buying FIVE pens for a fraction of the cost of the one pen I got from Topdrawer, and I am much happier with these pens. I recommend everyone do the same before buying an overpriced fountain pen that can't be returned.

Please note that Komoda just moved across the street and a few buildings up! This store is amazing…read more The owner does such a nice job hand selecting items and there's a bit of everything from plants to trinkets to puzzles to crafts to jewelry to coasters, among so many other things! There are adorable gifts that I never knew I wanted or needed until I see them. Compared to other gift shops, the prices are more reasonable. A must visit!!!

Komoda was right next door to Kai Zan, a great omakase restaurant that frankly everyone needs to…read moretry, and when you do, everyone also needs to stop by Komoda before and after to shop (& digest while you're at it) to your heart's content! There are so many great items for you, your house, your self care, and a ton of great gift ideas for the loved ones in your life! I personally picked up a gorgeous airplant here, that's doing very well in my house now, and a set of beautiful cork coasters that I'm very excited to use as well! A great shop to check out in West Town! Do yourself a favor and stop by if you're ever in the area!

Sandmeyer's Bookstore is a gem! Everyone who works there is so friendly and it makes for a great…read moreatmosphere. It feels really cozy inside and I could spend an hour or so perusing the book selection. They also have a nice variety of bookish gifts and cards. The best part is the sale corner in the back where you can find books of all kinds marked down to really reasonable prices. I'll always stop at Sandmeyer's when I'm in the area!

What a gorgeous location to have a bookstore! Sandmeyer's Bookstore sits in Printer's Row and is a…read morevery lit and airy environment. The selection is not too bad, considering they are recovering from a flood. There are so many titles and a vast array of topics available. I found some classics, fiction, a wonderful selection in their non-fiction area, and translated books. They also provide you with lists of books that have won prizes or coincide with different regions in the USA and the world! I thought that was very helpful. It's a medium-sized store, but their displays are quite prominent. Everything is easy to grab (no ladders or staff needed to get to the high books). All the areas are labeled and it's visually pleasing. The staff was nice, too. Checkout was easy and they were friendly. Prices are standard of paperbacks and hardcovers. You are paying for an indie bookseller (I paid about $40 for two books, which includes tax). I wasn't at all disappointed with the price. They also have a loyalty program for those that are regulars. I really am happy I checked out this spot. It was beautiful and friendly. There was a lot of books and totes to chose from, it was hard not to leave with more in my bag!

I adore this spot…read more The only thing that could make this place better would be more fabulous things for me to buy. Although I'm pretty sure my husband would disagree. The staff is so kind and helpful. I do wish they had a bathroom. But really. It's okay. Cuz my guys just went to Starbies and brought me back a drink. I also wish they had a lot for parking. I don't care... they still get five stars from me.

Paper Source is a good place to find nice, thick wrapping paper, stationery, cards, and all the…read morethings you need for gift giving purposes (you might even find the gift itself here). I'd been to the ones on Southport and on Wells but it was interesting to see the difference in merchandise here. It makes sense--this location seemed to have more office-type merchandise, and for a location in the Loop what better place to sell office supplies? Heck, I even had to stop myself from buying some of the cute office stuff they have here, and I only work two days per week in the office and still don't have my office space fully set up at home. If you need a last-minute card, even if it's beyond the standard congratulations or birthday, this is a great place to stop. And it's directly across the street from the Clark postal station, so may as well get it in the mail immediately before you forget! They had several board games. I'm a board gamer but usually don't play the ones that get mass market attention, and I saw some more niche ones like Steam Up which was truly surprising. I'm not sure who's coming here to buy them but I am totally in favor of stores supporting small publishers. I also saw journals, notepads, coffee cups, and so on. There's no parking here given its location in the loop. Train, bus, and/or foot will be your options.

Good place to get some Chinese books, magazines, and gifts. It has a pretty big collection in here…read more World Journal is a long time favorite in Chinatown Square. Has stuff for beginners. There's things to help anyone learn this hard language. A lot of items typically found in a bookstore. It has books of course. There's most by Chinese authors, as well as others that have been translated from other languages. A few are also in English. There's also magazines about culture and travel. Good if planning a trip to China. There's also gifts such as toys. Have to make an update about this business. It seems to have closed the physical location. This has turned into a store with clothes but you can still order from the website.

I always come to this place if I need a Chinese book for my mom. I get her a Chinese calendar and…read morethe Chinese fortune telling/ horoscope book every Chinese New Years. I've also gotten my parent's travel books to Australia here, and books for Christmas. They have a big selection of books and they also have CDs, and other trinkets here. They take credit cards, but are very reluctant to take them here. It's like she increases the minimum amount every single time. I guess I'd come prepared by bringing cash here. Sometimes they have their son working here who can speak some English, which is better than the other bookstore in Chinatown. I guess it forces me to practice the little Mandarin I remember.