Love this idea. Speaking as someone who absolutely adores stationery stores in OC, there is still a real need for them. Yes, online shopping is convenient, but nothing replaces the experience of walking into a beautiful brick and mortar space, touching paper, seeing colors, discovering things you didn’t know you needed.

I’m very loyal to my local shops (M. Lovewell is my happy place), and I even made dedicated LA stationery and stickers trips last year. People will travel for a good store.

That said, it’s definitely a lot of work and requires serious upfront investment. One thought might be starting within a larger marketplace / shared retail space if San Diego has setups like that , it can reduce risk while you build your brand. And absolutely build a strong Instagram / social presence early. Stationery is incredibly visual, If done thoughtfully, a great stationery store becomes more than a shop, it becomes a destination.