“Everyone will always need to buy pens,” is the mantra that inspired Brendan Schmidt’s great-grandfather to open Atlas Stationers in 1939. For decades, the family-run shop delivered office supplies in bulk to offices in the Loop.
“In years where business in the city was good, you’d see a ton of sales for black ink, and in years when it was bad, red pen sales skyrocketed,” said Brendan, who co-owns the store at 227 W. Lake St. with his brother Brian Schmidt.
From Skyscrapers to Kitchen Tables
When most Downtown offices shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the store was suddenly forced to change its business model. For the first time in the family business’ history, people actually didn’t need to buy pens anymore.
So, Brendan and Brian shifted their focus toward selling fine writing instruments and stationery to individuals.
“When I joined the team back in 2018, I thought my job was going to be selling paper and staplers, like Dunder Mifflin style,” Brendan said. “So, you can imagine I was thrilled when we made the decision to pivot, because the stuff we sell now is way more fun to be around than copy paper.”
Won’t Any Pen Do?
If you’re new to stationery like Brendan was, his advice is: keep an open mind. It’s normal not to understand why anyone would buy a $20 (or $200) pen until you’ve used one yourself, he joked.
“We have people who’ve finally bought a nice fountain pen, and come back a week later, like ‘What did you guys do to me?’” Brendan laughed. “Before you know it, they’ve got a ton of pens, and some stickers, and that collection grows.”
Dear Diary …
Over the past six years, the shop has grown rapidly because journaling as a hobby has grown in popularity. Many of Atlas’ regular customers buy supplies for “junk journaling,” a messy mix of scrapbooking and notetaking.
Whether you’re working with the finest materials or some random hotel pens from your junk drawer, the point of journaling is to set aside some time for yourself to slow down, Brendan said.
“Journaling is a form of art and creativity on its own,” Brendan said. “We don’t always have to rush and jot down a note and move on. We can enjoy the process. The best thing is that there’s no rhyme or reason to any of it. I know people who have a journal ecosystem, with three different notebooks that each have their own theme. You can really do anything you want.”
