With Q1 now well and truly done and dusted, we catch up Sarah Holmes, owner of Pencil Me In, Elgin, Moray to find out how business is going.
General trade: “January and February were good for us, retail sales were steady and our custom printed pencils service was super busy for wholesale customers. Post Mother’s Day we always have a lull until May, so we used the time to update photography on our website, install new card displays, and gave the shop a good spring clean.”
Coming up: “We are looking to expanding the range of Scottish and local cards and small gifts we stock to provide more choice for our tourist market that hots up from May onwards. I have been focusing on marketing this year, using email, social media and in-person networking to promote both Pencil Me In and our sister store Seasgair (homeware and gifts).
-
Above: Sarah and the team have been busy changing up the displays in the shop.
Top sellers: “Surely everyone’s answer will be Legami erasable pens! Aside from them, Blackwing pencils are a constant for us, the new Ohto GS02 that came in last month has been super popular too.”
On London Stationery Show: “I am working on a new section of our shop that involves notebooks so I am hoping to source any missing pieces, new pens, pencils and accessories; little unusual things that stationery geeks won’t be able to resist.”
My stationery must-have: “I recently bought the Silvine bullet notebook to house all my business ideas so it goes everywhere with me, alongside my Midori black mesh pen case – which obviously has a Pencil Me In pencil but also my two go-to pens: Andhand’s black Method pen and a brass Ajoto pen.”
Top: Sarah Holmes outside Pencil Me In.
