A Guide To London’s Most Aesthetic Stationery Shops
In an increasingly digital world, London’s independent stationery shop scene is inviting us to slow down and embrace the art of putting pen to good old-fashioned paper. Beyond stocking an array of supplies which span 2026 diaries, paper from Japan and pens from Germany, these stores are inviting customers to indulge in a unique and meticulously curated shopping experience.
Whether you’re hunting for that perfect pen, hoping to spruce up your workspace, or searching for a hand-crafted card that is almost too beautiful to send, we’ve rounded up the spots that every stationery enthusiast needs on their radar. Here is our official guide:
Present and Correct
Nestled in the heart of Bloomsbury, Present and Correct is a stationery enthusiast’s haven, stocking an array of office essentials from over 18 different countries. Owners Neal Whittington and Mark Smith both have backgrounds in Graphic Design and regularly go on “foraging trips” to find rare 1950s-70s office supplies, such as unused airmail envelopes, old rubber stamps, and vintage geometric erasers. Present and Correct is a product of these travels, brimming with an eclectic array of old and new office supplies.
The shop itself is also something to marvel. Opened in 2023, it was designed by Architecture for London and cleverly built around a grid system inspired by the ISO 216 A chart – the international standard for paper sizes like A4. It also boasts a sleek, minimalist interior with each product thoughtfully displayed to create a heavenly shopping experience.
Where: 12 Bury Pl, London WC1A 2JL
Website: www.presentandcorrect.com
Choosing Keeping
This quaint stationery shop, situated just a stone’s throw from the bustling streets of Covent Garden, invites shoppers to explore its collection of paper, pens, paints, and objects for the desk. The shop places an emphasis on investing in quality stationery, “avoiding the endless noise of cheap goods.” It is also sourced from far and wide, with paper from Kyoto, glass pens from Germany, and oil paints from the English countryside.
Beyond stocking a carefully curated array of office essentials, Choosing Keeping is also famed for its signature dandelion paperweights, which make for the perfect keepsake from your visit.
Where: 21 Tower St, London WC2H 9NS
Website: www.choosingkeeping.com
Papersmiths
This hidden gem just off the King’s Road stocks an array of journals, notebooks, cards and pens, sourced from both popular modern brands and also its own line of stationery essentials. It’s very own “Papersmiths Collection” includes diaries, planners, notebooks, pens and book bags. With the opportunity to build your own bundles, this makes for a perfect personalised gift.
In addition to stocking all the stationery essentials you could ever need, the shop also has a corner dedicated to hardback coffee table books.
Where: 170 Pavilion Rd, London SW1X 0AW
Website: www.papersmiths.com
London Graphic Centre
While the other shops on this list offer a more curated selection of stationery staples, London Graphic Centre has an expansive collection of supplies that spans two massive floors of a former warehouse.
The ground floor is sprawling with design-led stationery, gifts, and office essentials. Its walls are lined with notebooks, colourful pens, and unique lifestyle items. While the lower ground floor offers more heavy-duty supplies, from fine art paints to massive rolls of paper. The centre also often hosts product launches, as well as calligraphy workshops and artist demonstrations.
Browse an extensive collection of stationery which spans an impressive two floors.
Where:16-18 Shelton St, London WC2H 9JL
WEbsite: www.Londongraphics.com
Labour and Wait
Established in 2000, Labour and Wait has been trading for over 20 years across its multiple London venues. Among the stationery it stocks are traditional British exercise books, Japanese brass clips, heavy-duty staplers, and high-quality pencils. However, beyond this, the store is renowned for selling a vast selection of homeware and workwear goods. Now with three locations spanning Shoreditch, Marylebone and Covent Garden, each store is overflowing with hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
Where: 85 Redchurch St, London E2 7DJ
Website: www.labourandwait.com
L. Cornelissen & Son
A short walk on from The British Museum lies L. Cornelissen & Son, a Victorian apothecary for artists that will leave you feeling as if you have been transported back in time. Fitted with floor-to-ceiling wooden drawers brimming with pigments and inks, this stationery store is bound to cater to all your artistic needs.
Located on Great Russell Street, the store has been trading since 1855, with its Victorian features only adding to its charm.
Step back in time at this Victorian stationery shop a stone’s throw away from The British Museum.
Where: 105 Great Russell St, London WC1B 3RY
Website: www.lcornelissenandsons.com
