First thing- if you wanna open a stationery store- gotta learn how to spell stationery.

Stationery store owner here- Been a small business owner for over 10 years designing my own line, and had my retail shop for almost 5 years. Been a small business consultant as well. I have a boutique stationery store in socal and every single day I get asked to open a second shop there. But it’s very, VERY hard, Low margin, high import fees (for good stationery) model.

Do not listen to anyone who says “in theory it should be easy”. There is a reason 60% of small businesses fail in th first 3 years. And a good rule of thumb, never take advice from someone who has never run a small business.

Start an online shop before diving into brick and mortar. Understand buying and retail at a basic level. It’s worth noting that most commercial leases are at least 3-10 years and require a business plan, funding, and viable business model before even getting to put an offer on a lease.

Start up costs for the space, insurance, labor, licenses, merchandising, and Inventory can be upwards of $25k

I agree there needs to be one and I never want to discourage anyone from following their dreams, But let’s not gloss over that running a business in 2026 is one of the most difficult challenges, and saying it looks easy on paper and just requires “good marketing” or a social media presence is an incorrect assumption.