Alright. I love stationery stores as much as the next person. OKAY. I admit that I LOVE stationery stores (probably more so than the average person), and Nota Bene is one of the best. They have an incredible selection of notebooks and notepads from international brands. They do offer fountain pens and inks, but you would probably have better luck with a specialty store such as stylo or wonderpens. The store is a beautiful, and the staff is extremely knowledgeable. I've almost exclusively bought my paper goods and notebooks from Nota Bene over the years and the service has always been impeccable. Their prices are slightly higher than what you might find online, but it's reasonable due to their overhead. This is a great stationery store, and you are sure to find something you like! Pro tip: If you are looking for a GREAT notebook, check out the notebooks by Midori. They are Japanese, fountain pen friendly, and really feel really nice in the hand. It will run you about $15, but it's well worth it! read more

A very nice stationary shop with a good selection of pens & paper goods. The staff seemed a bit over their heads but eventually were able to help me try to find what I was looking for. They didn't have it but they helped me out. It's more a quality shop than a value one, but if you have strong feelings on nibs & bind weight you'll dig it. read more

Excellent old school stationary shop. Fantastic collection of pens and other nifty craft tools.

How great is this place? I was a U.S. tourist visiting Montreal and Papeterie Nota Bene was on my list of must-see places. Ha, ha. I have a stationery and pen fetish, I admit. This place went beyond my wildest imaginings. Impossible to get Atoma notebooks in the U.S. Here, they get pallets of the stuff. I even mail ordered items when I got back home. This place is the ultimate!! And the staff? Wonderful. read more

Small and breathtaking Spectacular service, gorgeous imported paper,pen and ink selection at reasonable prices. The place was full inkies. I could live there! read more

Update: My 3-star review below was from several years ago. Happily, Nota Bene has returned to its former joyful and well-organized state, with (mostly) very helpful staff and lots of gorgeous pens, paper, notebooks, pencils, journals, agendas, and stationery. We visit every time we're in Montreal. Sometimes we come to Montreal (from two hours away) just to shop at Nota Bene! Original review: For stock, I give Nota Bene five stars; for employees, it's a real mixed bag. We usually love this place, and there's a wonderfully knowledgeable man who works here. When he's on the job, this is our favorite shopping stop in Montreal. It's filled with every manner of delicious paper, pen and pencil, journal and agenda, and desk organizing supplies you could want. Unfortunately, there's also a very unpleasant, unhelpful woman we've encountered twice, who sours the whole experience. Her first response to any question is "no" -- even if the "yes" answer (a certain kind of pencil or journal) is in a case right in front of her. It's as though she doesn't actually want to sell anything. It's also disconcerting that there is always one employee designated to just stand at the entrance staring at customers to discourage shoplifting. As a retail owner myself, I understand the need to protect inventory, but it's so obvious and sets a distrustful, uncomfortable tone when you walk in. The displays weren't looking quite as sparkling and creative this time as they did last time, so I wonder if the man we liked so much has moved on. He seemed to do a lot of the merchandising. We left with minor purchases. In the past, we've dropped a couple hundred each, easily. All this by way of saying, customer service makes a big difference in terms of your customers' experience, and can affect how much your customers buy. read more

I actually go to Nota Bene to cheer myself up on bad days, haha. I've always collected notebooks and loved paper, so I was bound to fall for this shop. They carry great products, many of which are from lesser known, but wonderful brands. I've exclusively bought my work notebooks from Nota Bene for the last 3 years, and am very happy about it. My current favorites are pens from Le Pen (Japan) and Maruman notebooks (Japan) - high quality products! The owners are kind and knowledgeable, and always have good recommendations. The second floor of the shop is a sometime-gallery-sometime-library space for clients interested in arts, fashion and design. The downside is that prices are not cheap. But they did introduce a "sale" section where prices are quite dramatically reduced (its like a gold mine to me). They also have a yearly sale of -20%, usually around April. Its a good place to find gifts! A beautiful, beautiful shop. PS. My favorite part is when they wrap my purchase in a brown paper bag, fold it, and seal it with a colorful tape. Am I alone with that? read more

Papeterie Nota Bene - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Really nice paper and pen store with many greeting cards and beautiful pens on offer. Right next to Notre Dame.

This may be my favourite shop in Montreal. I love their goods. The pens: I'm team Lamy 2000 and team Rotring 600 - is that allowed. The paper: ooh la la. The staff: knowledgeable, friendly, passionate. No suggested improvements. Signed, -Fully Satisfied read more

We found this gem while we were waking around looking for lunch. As a couple of a writer and an artist, we were immediately pulled into the store. From the moment we stepped through the door, the staff was incredibly friendly. They were extremely knowledgeable and offered to answer any and alk questions we had about the various papers and writing instruments available- they even pulled out some rare products from the back to show us. They were always polite and never pushy about the sale. We could have easily spent hours here chatting it up with the awesome staff if we didn't realize about forty minutes in that we were starving. This is the kind of store you can excited to visit as an adult. The products are top quality and very reasonably priced and the staff is over-the-top-amazing. Our biggest disappointment is that this is too far away from NYC for us to frequent. read more

Bookstores and other stationary stores could learn a little somethin' somethin' about how to wrap their merchandise from Papeterie Nota Bene. This little gem is stationary Narnia. The first visit would most definitely bring back the lost romance of written letters and love for inky pens. They have a unique selection of agendas, notebooks, and sketchbooks, so you're bound to not get the same thing as someone else. The array of old fashion typewriters on display tickles my writing bug every time. Its location being right beside Pikolo Café is a perfect combination to get rid of any writer's block. read more

Papeterie Nota Bene - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

One of my all time favorite stores on the planet earth. I travel all the way from New York City to come to this one of a kind place. You will not find anything else like it. The owner "Russell" is a awesome and a very special one of a kind guy. He is a true artists and has really put together an amazing place. Every item that is sold is carefully reviewed and selected. Truly some amazing stationary and pens. "Russell" caters to the "Snobs" ;-) like me - No question is silly. Something for everyone! The cool thing about this place, is that "Russell" and his staff treat everyone the same, no matter who you are. You will find some amazing notebooks - designed for everyone and anyone. Stationary - again, designed for anything, everyone and anybody. A must, if you are visiting Montreal. I would even make a special trip up to this place, just to find some amazing things. Truly an amazing collection of stationary products from all over the planet. Carefully selected and screened. Enjoy! I can't wait to plan my next trip back up. It has been a pleasure, over the past decade to watch this store evolve into what it has become. Thanks "Russell" for doing what you do! read more

What could be better than Papeterie Nota Bene? Every kind of notebook imaginable, pens, pencils, erasers, envelopes, paper stock, card stock, ink pens, calendars, design books, etc. Knowledgable staff with a passion for stationery, something which is increasingly hard to find. Definitely worth a visit if you are looking for quality stationery products. read more

Papeterie Nota Bene - Main floor. photo: www.mbstudio.info - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Come here for specialty pens and quality stationary. Blackwing pencils and Japanese pens. The person we dealt with was very knowledgeable, sharing a detailed history of each product. May have been the proprietor. read more

I LOVE THIS STATIONERY SHOPPE! My husband and I got everything we needed to make our own wedding invitations, our daughter's baptism invitations and more recently, birthday invitations. Every time I have visited, Russell, the owner, has spent tons of time with me and he always goes way out of his way to help me with my invitation projects. Once he had over-nighted material from Chicago so that I could have what I needed ASAP. I love to take time out to investigate all of Russell's fun finds - he travels all over the world to fill his store with great and unique stationery supplies. If you love high-end paper, pens, stationery and office supplies (once I purchased lovely adhesive tape imported from Japan), then you need to check out this store! On a side note, Russell is a big supporter of the Montreal art community. The second floor of the store is dedicated to local artists. read more

Nota Bene is a great place to satisfy a paper craving. When I was is school this place would save me when I was in a pinch and needed a special type of paper to print a project on. They have a whole wall of different types of paper, which gives you the option of buy only a few sheets, to a whole package. It's great if you need to mix and match. I would recommend this place to anyone needing paper for a printing or publication project, as well as wedding invitations. Besides the paper, they also have a large variety of notebooks and pens, which is quite pleasing to browse through. read more

This is the best god damn stationary store I've ever been in. They have so much great stuff, and the staff are so helpful and friendly. They did not judge me when I chose a non recycled note book over one with recycled paper. i hate recycling. i can't find a place to review that so I will do it here: I hate recycling it's a waste of time and it doesn't really help all that much. read more

"This is the best god damn stationary store I've ever been in." "Welcome to wonderland." Yep. That about sums it up. Rhodia pads? Check. Clairefontaine? More than you can imagine. Fabriano? Yeah, sure, if you must. It's a wonderful, wonderful store, staffed with people who have a real passion for pen and paper, and because of this, there's no better place to shop for pen and paper! read more

Good selection of stationery. The brands they carry are good quality stationery brands. They have a nice selection of pens. I got two different sizes and colors of Sarasa pens, and a Frixion. They had a variety of Zebra, Stabilo, Pilot, Sakura...all sorts of pens and markers in a variety of colors. Lined, dotted, grid, blank - they had journals, notebooks, and planners of every size and type. I spent a lot of time in the pen area testing different pens to figure which ones best suited my needs. It's nice to be able to test individual pens out in person, rather than blindly order a pack online without knowing if they bleed through paper, how quickly the ink really dries, the thickness of the lines, etc. Sometimes you don't need a bulk pack of pens and just want one good pen. Also, it was cool that the day I went they happened to be having a 20% off sale for whatever reason. Really happy with the pens that I got, and for a reasonable price. read more

Stationary shop? This is a candy shop for students, writers and general pen wielders with a particular sweet spot for pretty graphic things. Thankfully you can leave guilt and cavity free, because between the stacks of fresh notebooks and bins of colourful pens to make you drool, stand a very present, courteous and knowledgeable staff who are willing to help you find what you need. They sell some of their Moleskines individually, too. In short: a place to spend some time in. read more

Yay! I love a good stationery store. I was in Montreal on holiday and instead of going vintage shopping or souvenir shopping, I went stationery shopping. The store is lovely and the wall of paper organized by color is so aesthetically pleasing. I thought it was a bit pricey, but maybe that's just my mental skew of USD versus CAD. I bought myself the sweetest little periwinkle pen and a few journals to give as gifts. read more

Welcome to wonderland. Crack for designers and anyone who loves paper goods, stationary, design books, etc. Russell, the owner, is full of knowledge. They have the space pen referenced in Seinfeld for sale! He so graciously showed me various pens and answered every question. New and vintage designs. I could spend hours here. I'll probably go tomorrow. Yup, sounds good. read more

Looking for papers or notebooks???? And why would anyone? Because we use computers now! Normally I wouldn't buy papers, nor do I know much about papers. However I indeed need physical writing materials for physical writing tools. And this is THE PLACE!!! If you're looking for large-size art supply papers, DeSerres is your destination. Here at Nota Bene, they sell more sketchbooks and notebooks. They have blank, lined, dotted, graph papers, watercolour paper, fountain pen paper, cheap note-taking paper. Whatever. They are mostly handheld sizes. And you will find niche brands here like Maruman, which I love. This is by no means the "cute stationary" place. If you prefer Hello Kitty or decorations, look elsewhere! But for quality paper, I found mine here. I don't find the prices too expensive either. I've already visited this shop three times! read more

Ahhh, just the enjoyment of writing an update about Nota Bene. I've been going there for a number of years now and every trip is an enjoyment. Russell, the owner, is such a great guy and sets the bar exceedingly high for serving his clients. He's become a friend, to the point where I actually bumped into him at Frankfurt airport!! If I was to create my own ideal neighborhood, then Russell and Nota Bene would be right there on the top of my list. read more

I walked out with half a dozen notebooks that I simply HAD to have, for no particular reason. All different brands, none of which I'd ever heard of before. In retrospect, I spent too much, but at the moment they all seemed like a bargain. I was too entranced with the paper goods to play with the writing implements, but they seemed similarly well curated. The only bags I noticed were by Manhattan Portage, which feels a little too mainstream, but maybe that's because I'm from Manhattan. The window displays are witty invitation to visit, and the friendly staff offers personalized service in appealing, low-key surroundings. read more

This is the best store for stationary goods. It has everything. It's such a beautiful store and I want to buy everything. The staff is so helpful and knowledgable. I have no complaints about this place whatsoever. This is a must see if you are visiting montreal or if you want to buy some fancy school or work supplies. It is pricier than buying normal school supplies but they will look so much better. read more

Beautiful art books and a colourful envelope and card selection! This place is great - with one main floor stocking loads of pens, notebooks, cards and paper and a mezzanine with art books and various storage options. They've got a great store display window, and they always wrap up your purchases in a brown bag with some washi tape. Their selection is arguably the best in all of Montreal, there's no doubt about it. I only give them four stars because the service can be at times a little too stuffy. I can understand loss prevention concerns but it's difficult to browse with someone practically breathing down your neck. Along with that, the prices are a bit high for certain things, especially books and inks. read more

I can get lost in here for hours, even though it's not that big. There is clearly a lot of care taken by the proprietor in choosing the most aesthetically pleasing and functional materials for all your writing needs. There is also a small section of art books in the upstairs space. Staff is friendly and helpful, big plus! It's definitely on the pricey side (I wouldn't necessarily come here for basics) but you definitely get what you pay for. read more

Yeah. Unless you are a hipster with a huge budget you will find this place extremely expensive. They do have a good selection of 'Le Pen' read more

As an avid paper and pen lover, I thoroughly enjoyed this store. There are so many types of notebooks here, all with different kinds of paper inside. You can easily find the well-known Rhodia or Clairfontaine brands, but I was happy to find different brands from Japan and other places. As for pens and pencils, there is a wide range, whether it's fountain pens or pencils for drafting, etc. If I lived in Montreal, I'd be a regular customer here. read more

Lovely store, you can find many different kind of papers and pens here. Stationery lovers' heaven.

Was well served by Russel, variety of products and presentation very well done. I found though that although the price tag is relatively high, because most of the items are imported from Europe due to a lacking writing culture here in North America. That Russel provided a quality service, mentioning what I should and should not get. He even was encouraging me out of a sale because I was buying too much. lol Definately, a must for any paper / pen lover! read more

Fancy products, amazing service and very knowledgable, very nice clean store and modern and just cool and fun! Definitely just check this place out for fun if you don't plan on buying. read more

Papeterie Nota Bene - My supplies nicely wrapped in brown paper :) - Cards & Stationery Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

A fantastic store with a wonderful and knowledgable staff. Their notebook and paper selection is extremely strong, and they have demonstration versions of everything so that you can try out any notebook you want. Curious about how Apica Premium paper compares to Midori MD? Here, you can try them out side by side. They also carry Rhodia, Clairefontaine, and Mnemosyne notebooks, plus a variety of other brands. Their fountain pen and ink selection is respectable, but not as extensive as their paper selection. It tends toward beginner/student pens, with a strong representation from Kaweco, Lamy, and Pilot. If you're visiting Montreal, and you are a pen and paper person, do not miss the chance to see this wonderful store. read more

In terms of stuff they have, you're never going to walk in here and not want to buy everything. Their only issue is how overpriced they are to cover for the shipping and handling of their imports (since they have German/Japanese/etc notebooks). Love it still, such a nice place. read more

I looked all over for the island of Montreal for some decent quality paper to write my letters.. I am so glad i found this store. It sells a variety of different styles of paper and envelopes. Nice pens too. The sales people were helpful and spoke English and French read more

It's a throw back... shopping here is an experience. Still have a typewriter - you can try out the numerous types of typing paper before you commit. Want a nostalgic pencil... this is your place. How about a well crafted and perfectly weighted pen... well this is the place. read more

I loved this place so much, it has a beautiful interior, which created a great relaxing atmosphere.The products were all so beautiful and it hit my soft spot that they had a lot of Japanese products (I'm Japanese). They had many different brands of notebooks and pens, which gave me a variety of options to choose from. The workers there seem really friendly too, and ready to answer any questions. I just expected it to be slightly bigger in size somehow, but I will definitely come back for more stationery! read more

Great variety of quality stationary, with knowledgeable staff who are there to answer any questions you might have. Some items are quite pricey, however, you can find whatever you need no matter your budget. Would recommend! read more

Wonderful place, great service, lots of one - of- a -kind or difficult to find products, The owner, Russell, is very helpful, open to your suggestions for something you'd like to buy but can't find, no attitude, no snobbery. I've been a customer of his since he was in Westmount, & have been going back ever since. Highly recommended. read more