One of the only original shops left in Japanese Town. Now in Honda Plaza…read more Always check here first for any gifts you're looking for. There is an assortment of beautiful dishes, dolls and decorations

This is a small business run by Carol, the sweetest shop owner. We came on Christmas Eve to pick up…read moresome last minute gifts. We found the most beautiful platters and dishes with various designs. Craftsmanship was lovely and the prices were reasonable. The absolute best part was Carol's packaging and wrapping services. I will be back!

*** Only open on Sundays from 12 PM to 5 PM - always check the website to confirm opening hours ***…read more Yup you heard it right - Baum-kuchen is a specialty card and stationery shop that only opens its brick-and-mortar store once a week. As an online store, Baum-kuchen has been in operation for 16 years (since 2010). [Parking]: Easy and free street parking. [Selection]: Baum-kuchen sells stationery items that combine the philosophies of German Bauhaus and Japanese wabi-sabi. Visitors will find fewer cute items as most products focus on aesthetically designed stationery such as stamps, planners, pens, paper pads, pen cases, pouches, tapes, etc. The shop has few postcards and pins, but the selection is limited. There are no greeting cards. [Mailbox]: The shop also sells postage stamps so customers can purchase them on the spot and drop postcards into the mailbox right next to the cashier counter. They will add letters and postcards to their outgoing mail. [Conclusion]: Some of items at Baum-kuchen can technically be found at other stationery stores in Los Angeles, so I don't feel like this is a must-visit shop or you'll miss out. With that being said - if you are a fan of stationery stores like Paper Plant Co., Hightide Store DTLA, or Shorthand, then Baum-kuchen is certainly worth checking out. Plus it is also nice to see some of these online items in person rather than just browsing them on their website.

This is one of the few local stores that carried exactly what I was looking for: Stalogy Monthly…read morePlanner B6. They're only physically open on Sundays but they answered my call on a Wednesday. Super gorgeous and organized inside. There's a lot of wandering space so you can take your time to explore and test products like pens. There's even a large table if you need to sit and relax. If you need help looking for something, don't be shy to ask. The workers are super friendly and knowledgeable. My purchase came with a free set of stickers! Super happy with this place. Will come back to support when I can. :)

What a great place to visit! Much bigger than Paper Plant in Chinatown, and much friendlier service…read moreas well. Also a larger selection. They have a whole pen testing area with a bunch of different types of pens to try. They also have a respectable fountain pen selection, though I would like to see more unique pens! They did have a lot of other pens, and their Blackwing selection was quite good. They have a stamping station, which we all loved to use. And they have a nice selection of paper products including stationery, notebooks, washi, stickers, and accessories. Oh, and rubber stamps. And cards. And inks. There's just a lot here, and I'm here for it. We ended up parking in a small paid lot a couple blocks away and had a nice walk to the shop. There are a few other cute little shops in the area, so it was nice to make a little afternoon of the trip. It's also not the busiest area, so it was very leisurely. I ended up getting this cool envelope to use with my A5 Snap Pad.

Paper Plant Co is a cute Japanese stationery shop and this is the brand new 2nd location located in…read moreHighland Park (the flagship store is located in Chinatown). Unlike the flagship store, this location has a MUCH bigger retail space and it feels like the owner finally got a chance to showcase their entire inventory to customers. [Parking]: Street parking only, but it is not the busiest neighborhood so it is not impossible to find a spot to park. [Selection]: The biggest difference between this Highland Park store vs the Chinatown store? Simply more stationery selections to see at this location with items like pens, stickers, notebooks, stamps, etc. There is a wall mounted with pens along with tester pens for customers to try. They also sell premium ballpoint pens, fountain pens, and dip pens on a separate locked shelf. [Conclusion]: I like this location a lot better than the flagship Chinatown location and I was able to test most of the pens and got myself one MD pen and one Zebra pen here. This is one of the better Japanese stationery stores in Los Angeles. P.S. - The shop offers an annual Stamp Rally happening from August through December. Passports are available starting August 1st during shop hours and can only be purchased in the month of August & one per person (passport is $1 each). A new stamp will be released each month and missed stamps can't be collected later. Complete all 5 stamps to earn a special gift from Paper Plant.

TRENDY LITTLE STORE w/ GREAT FINDS! Central Library's "The Library Store" is a current,…read morewell-stocked gift shop with buzzy reads and stylish merch. I loved seeing their pocket-sized collection from their genre-specific books to celebrity finds. I spotted a Chappel Roan book among other favorites. Additionally, they had a selection of Heated Rivalry novels and other fan-favorites. I definitely see myself coming here more often, too bad my booklist is currently full. My Mom and I got a few items (a small version of Macbeth, socks, mug, etc.). Staff were pretty polite but a little awkward, I think they're on high-alert for shoplifters. The store was neat and tidy. Lighting was dim and the store wasn't packed. As this is a gift shop in LA, library-specific merch is slightly pricy. However, the quality of the goods are great. If you're entering through the backside of the library go straight down the entrance hallway a bit and turn to your right. The Library Store is hard to miss!

I felt like a kid walking into a candy store while visiting this charming and well curated gift…read morestore in historic LA Central Library! When I heard the greeting, I said "im definitely walking out of here with a gift or two," I got four! And, why not? It feels good to support the Library and get something special too :)

Amazing shop for any stationery lover. Had so many unique items that you can't get elsewhere. Many…read moreitems are from Japan, so the owner hand writes descriptions in English and adds personal anecdotes throughout the store, which made it feel like an adorable museum. I can't wait to go back!

What an unexpected find! Such a kind owner who is the epitome of true customer service…read more I was on a quick stationery crawl a couple of weeks ago and I've been wanting to get by here for a while. Great selection of unique washi tape, stamps, stickers, postcards and curated stationery that fans of Japanese artists will certainly appreciate. It's also located on a busy street keep that in mind when you need to park in front. Prices are in line with other stationery shops with similar selection. I've placed this location on my Great Paper Chase... in fact it's my first stop on my January Stationery Road Trip. Respectfully Reviewed

Small, unassuming gift shop type store. We bought an affordable souvenir "Little Tokyo" tee here…read morebecause we just love this wonderful area and wanted a shirt to represent that love. Thrilled about this purchase and happy for the existence of this small business shop in DTLA. Come browse their stuff and support this cute spot.

Fun, cool, funky store in Little Tokyo. They have a bit of everything: home decor, nice, local…read moresouvenirs if you're looking for something cool, vinyl, clothes, music. The space is small, a tad tight quarters, but prices are decent and service is good, people working here are nice. More off the beaten path store with an eclectic mix of merchandise.

I've been back a number of times in the intervening years, especially as I now live in the…read moreneighborhood and it's my closest yarn/knitting store. It's harder and harder to find stores stocking a lot of small indie dyers, but that kind of seems par for the course. The owner is helpful. Even if they don't have quite what I'm looking for yarn-wise sometimes, I always walk out with something else I needed. Happy to support my local yarn store!

I felt pressured to buy items while my cashier was being passive aggressive behind me. She's an old…read moreJapanese lady and idk how to write this but she enjoyed being a little mean to me and then was shocked I was about to put everything back. She gives you a bad feeling like she's trying to get away with being mean but gets scared when you put yarn back. You know those people who say just barely mean things but you have to figure out, why the interaction felt uncomfortable. Or those people who talk bad about you the moment you walk away. I didn't come here to fight with my mom. Those people who steal your happiness for your new idea. The ones you want to avoid when it doesn't have enough protection. The most vulnerable business ideas shouldn't go here. If u don't NEED yarn for money come here. If you need something NEED it, don't come here. 2 stars sales corner.

Top's is a small art supply business. They have a LOT of good stuff, and some things are a lil…read morepricier but it makes sense because it's not a big company or anything! If you're tryna save money try going during their back to school sale The employees know a lot about art, and are very helpful! Even if it's a bit pricier I come often because of the service and knowing that I'm supporting a business that truly appreciates art :')

Top's Art Supplies is a family-owned Korean art supply shop in Koreatown that has been in operation…read moresince 1987. While the shop is small, they stock all of the essential art supplies (brands like STABILO, POSCA, and DecoColor) so customers can be more intentional with what they want to buy. The store requires ID checks for paint marker purchases. In addition, the shop also carries a large selection of Asian art materials for calligraphy (e.g., square paper, calligraphy brushes, calligraphy books, ink stones, black sumi ink, brush hangers, etc). Apparently students from USC who take calligraphy courses come here to purchase their supplies. Overall this is a decent shop for anyone looking to restock art supplies or buy calligraphy materials. P.S. - There is metered street parking in front of the store, but there are also few free designated parking spots behind the shop. P.P.S. - Check the website to see which supplies are currently on sale.