(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)
As I mentioned in the Arkansas show recap last week, one of the draws for going to Arkansas was finally going to visit the Vanness Pens shop in Little Rock! I first met Lisa at the 2017 SF Pen Show (my first show!) less than 3 months after getting into pens and I remember buying notebooks and inks (Akkerman #5 Shocking Blue, Organics Studio Nitrogen and Walden Pond) from her. I also remembered thinking, maybe one day I’ll get to visit her store. 6.5 years later, it finally happened!
Vanness Pens has a long history, dating back to the 1930s when Orville Vanness put his name on a shop, where he repaired and sold razors and fountain pens. Orville’s grandson (and Lisa’s husband), Mike, is currently the 3rd generation of Vanness’ to run the shop, with the 4th and 5th generations growing up into the business as well. You can read more about their history and staff on their website.
Vanness Pens is located in Little Rock, Arkansas on Shackleford Road in a warehouse-style complex.
I can’t explain why the occupants sign made me chuckle. Gym, Junk, Pens.
An unassuming entrance, but what lies behind that door?
To the left as you enter, is a long display of pens from Pilot, TWSBI, Opus 88, Visconti and more.
Look at all the goodies!!
A colorful display of Ferris Wheel Press items as well as other stationery.
One of the pens I wanted to buy, but I couldn’t fit it in my luggage. Some Clairefontaine (right), as well as Akkerman inks, Crown Mill and G. Lalo stationery (left) would be more practical!
I really wanted to take this pen home for Pelikan Hub!
To the left of the Akkerman inks, you would find…more ink! Rohrer & Klingner, Lamy, IWI, Van Dieman’s, Octopus, Laban and more.
I’m glad I finally got to see these Wearingeul book marks and metal stickers (the ones in the back rows) in person! I’m only reading eBooks these days, otherwise I would’ve bought a bunch!
Orville Vanness originally started with razor repairs so there is still a variety of shaving tools and accoutrement that is sold in store and on the website!
Pens, paper, and stationery are all wonderful but let’s be real, we all know the biggest reason for me to visit the shop is the INKS!!!! I’m one of those crazy inkophiles who has far too much ink, so behind in swatching and still can’t resist getting more! As of earlier this week, Vanness has over 2900 inks in stock. WHAT?!?!? I don’t think any vendor, in the US or abroad, comes close to this - and if they do, please let me know so I can add them to my stationery travel bucket list.
All of these binders are full of ink swatches! I had so much fun looking through the binders, both for my own purchases as well as helping customers find the perfect inks!
The warehouse behind the shop is where the magic and the hard work happens.
The past store front’s Vanness sign is displayed prominently on the back wall of the warehouse. There are aisles upon aisles of shelving, each with pen boxes, papers, and of course, inks!
Bottles of Diamine, Colorverse and more are on this shelf (the boxes/inks on the floor just came in and they were in the process of unpacking them.)
Just some of the Kobe inks that Vanness stocks. One or two of them may have made it home with me, hehe! (PC:Matthew Chen)
*Bins upon bins of ink samples! And this is just ONE ROW of samples! *
I have bought so many samples from Vanness over the years because they have such a large selection and it was like a dream come true to see it for myself! Wow! For the Diamine Inkvent series, there were different colored bins for 2019 (Blue), 2021 (Red), etc - I thought that was very clever! Bestsellers or latest additions were marked with yellow labels so it was easier for folks to find them. I discovered firsthand how easy it was to find products when I was helping out at the store on Thursday before the show.
Helping out by finding samples for customers.
Speaking of samples, that’s Jasmine in the background making samples - looks like it’s Diamine 150th Anniversary Espresso.
If you don’t have inky spills that make detectives raise an eyebrow, are you really in the ink business?
One of several aisles of paper products - Apica, Midori, Kokuyo and more!
Laser-engraving a pen - don’t worry, I was just watching and taking pictures!
I also got the chance to see one of two laser engraving machines in action. Vanness will only engrave items that were purchased from them (either in store or online), as not all items work well with engraving. It is an option that can be selected during the product selection. There is no additional charge for this service, but engraved items can’t be returned. If you’re not sure if engraving would work on a particular product, definitely reach out to them beforehand.
This was something I had always wanted to have engraved - and the new release meant it was the perfect time for it! Ink not included. ;-)
With increased shipping costs, Vanness no longer sells empty ink bottles, but if you’re at the shop, you can always ask if they have any empties laying around, which they usually do since they are always making samples! (Note: not all brands allow resale or reuse of their bottles, like Akkerman)
Mike likes to be behind the scenes and runs the shipping department - he also signs the packing lists too!
Lisa with Truffle, the guard dog who only barks if you’re not giving him treats.
Truffle takes a much deserved break after a long day of making sure we feed him apples and other healthy treats (sorry, no more peanut butter.)
I spent most of Thursday as well as several other hours at the store and I kept finding things to buy. It was really cool to see the setup in person because the IG videos don’t really do it justice. I didn’t take photos of every single aisle either, so it’s quite a bit bigger than my photos might indicate. If you’re ever in the area, definitely reach out to them to make an appointment to tour the warehouse.
L to R: Kokuyo Campus B5 binder, Clariefontaine lined hardbound notebook (underneath), Van Dieman’s Marilyn and Elizabeth, Inkbara Sand, Little Prince notepad, Italian fairy tale greeting cards, the engraved iroshizuku bottle, Kobe Wind Blue, Cruising Blue and Romanesque Blue, Color Traveler Miyoshi Pione Purple and Ferris Wheel Press Aurorealis. Not pictured are items for future reviews.
You can find Vanness Pens at 5320 S Shackleford Suite F, Little Rock, AR 72204. Their store hours are Thursday-Friday 10:30am-5:30pm Central Time and Saturday 10:30am-4:00pm CT - please check the website for the most up-to-date hours. They can also be reached by phone at +1-501-353-2362 or via email at vannessonline@gmail.com, as well as on Instagram as JustVanness.
(Disclaimer: Items were purchased by me at the store. Additional items, not pictured, were given to me/Brad for future review.)
