58 AUTUMN//WINTER 2017 Humour is king and Mr Austin & Co can be quite cheeky, and dry with it. Use original content when you can – a photo of the product in your shop is better than the stock library photo from your supplier.  Where do you source products for the store? Traditional trade shows such as Top Drawer, Spring/Autumn Fairs, Stationery Show (including the new one in October in Manchester). Instagram for following new designers or those from overseas that don’t usually show in the UK. And much to the annoyance of my partner, I spend too much time in stationery shops when I’m on holiday abroad. The USA has particularly been a rich hunting ground. The plan over the next year or so is to visit the National Stationery Show in New York to source in a more organised way. What’s the most exciting area of stationery right now? (in terms of design or functionality) Japanese style from the likes of Mark’s Tokyo has always intrigued me in terms of design and functionality. As we approach the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo, I can see a greater adoption of this and Kawaii stationery items. Where paper stationery can link in to the digital age too, with items such as Whitelines. And who’d have thought the dotted format on paper would engage with the new bullet journalers out there! Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about setting up a bricks- and-mortar stationery/gift store? •  Research your location. Go around all your potential competitors – if they sell similar, can you do it better? DON’T BE SWAYED BY SUPPLIER DISCOUNTS FOR BUYING A HIGHER VOLUME UNLESS YOU KNOW IT’S GOINGTO SELL.  Be prepared to sit outside your prospective shop on different days and at different times of the day to see what the footfall is likely to be.  •  Know what you are selling. If you don’t, research it. Create a story to engage with your customer. •  Don’t just fill the shop with things you like. Some of my biggest sellers are things I wouldn’t personally buy. •  Doing ‘back to school’ isn’t compulsory for a stationery shop! I’ve got a WHSmith next door – I’d be committing commercial suicide if I tried to match their offers. •  Christmas doesn’t have to start in August. Customers find it refreshing that they can buy a non-Christmas card from me in an environment that isn’t fully tinselled out before the kids have even gone back to school. •  Don’t overstock – reorders come through relatively quickly these days. Stock held in the back room is no different to leaving a load of money on the shelves. •  Don’t be swayed by supplier discounts for buying a higher volume unless you know it’s going to sell.  •  Above all, be different.