SPRING//SUMMER 2018 77 76 SPRING//SUMMER 2018 STATIONERY BIZ SMALL BUSINESS FOCUS: METICULOUS INK Describe Meticulous Ink to our readers Meticulous Ink is a bespoke letterpress shop in Bath. We have four areas – retail (in store and online), wholesale (our own brand of fine stationery and greetings cards that we print in-house), bespoke (small project private print runs from business cards to wedding stationery) and workshops (I teach hand-lettering workshops at the store). Our small retail shop is at the front of the print studio, so we get to show off our lovely 1960s Heidelberg printing presses and explain the process of letterpress print to customers. We are a one-off shop, and love sharing the excitement of the print process with visitors to the store. How do the different parts of your business work together? When we first opened in 2010 we had the retail store and produced bespoke work. Within three months we had acquired our first printing press, which really changed how we worked and what we could produce ourselves. Having the machines in-house gives us so much freedom to be able to think of things for the shop, alongside creating and designing bespoke invitations for a customer. The bespoke projects are the most fun for us, as each project gives us the opportunity to create something unique. Over time we also added the hand-lettering workshops, which have become incredibly popular, and brings people in that might not have come before. For those that know us already, it provides a behind-the- scenes insight into how we work. We often find that people who attend our workshops become regular customers and friends, which is really lovely! Last year we moved our online shop away from Etsy and onto our new and improved website. This has been really successful and I think it’ll continue to be very important. Tell us about your creative window displays. How often do you change them? I attempt to change the window displays every two to three months, though sometimes it’s a bit longer. Partly because I’m busy running the business and partly because my ideas for the window are so elaborate, it takes me a month or two to actually make them! They are a lot of fun to make though, and certainly get us noticed so it’s definitely worth the effort. Our shop front is quite small, so having something really bright catches people’s attention. What’s your philosophy for in-store layout? Our retail space is quite restricted due to the presence of the print works. Each of our printing presses weighs just over a tonne, and we were only able to place them in two specific spots so they didn’t break through he floor into the basement. Due to this, we use as much shelving as possible. There is a delicate balance between stuffing the shop full and allowing enough room for customers to actually see the products. I do try and approach the shop as if I were a customer visiting, to see what my eye is drawn to first. What makes Meticulous Ink special? We really do live up to our name. Each and every printed sheet is checked. If there is a bit of fluff in the paper stock then it doesn’t get past the quality checking stage and becomes a ‘dud’. We also print contemporary letterpress, so offer a clean, consistent aesthetic to our printing, which respects the method as well as the final outcome. At Meticulous Ink we don’t work from fully supplied artwork, as we know that the design is just as important as the production. This also protects our brand, and means we are proud of everything that leaves the store. Finally, our team is tiny and each person here adores the process of what we do and what we make. I’m so proud to work with them. What are the most rewarding parts of running an independent  stationery store? Coming up with an idea, then designing that product and being able to print it and see it sold in the store to someone that appreciates it is such a fulfilling process, and definitely one of the most rewarding. Connecting with people and We speak to ATHENA CAULEY-YU, owner of Meticulous Ink in Bath OURTEAM ISTINY AND EACH PERSON HERE ADORESTHE PROCESS OF WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE MAKE. I’M SO PROUDTO WORK WITHTHEM. seeing that I’ve made something that fits perfectly with what they had in mind is a thrill. Do you have any personal  stationery obsessions? I’m becoming increasingly obsessed with nibs and am planning a visit to the Pen Museum in Birmingham soon. I’ve been before, but there is so much to see and geek out over, I’m going back again! I’m hoping that one day we can make our own Meticulous Ink nib. How is Meticulous Ink addressing the challenges facing the UK high street? I think having different avenues of income is so very essential. For our bespoke project work I find it important to have a physical high street presence. It instills trust in people, they get to feel and choose hands-on what they can use for their print projects, plus it helps customers to understand the work that goes into their projects. Starting any business is full of challenges – that’s the whole point, because if it was easy everyone would do it! I don’t think there has ever been an easy time to have your own business, so now is no different from before. 100% hard work, all the time, that’s how we address it! (with a beautiful nib and our own iron gall ink too!) What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? That a fantastic accountant makes a HUGE difference to your overall happiness and wellbeing.