Paper & Pencil Expands Amid Soaring Demand for Stationery in Andersonville

Paper & Pencil, a popular independent stationery retailer in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood, is set to relocate to a much larger storefront after substantial sales growth and overwhelming customer interest strained the limits of its original shop. The move, expected by late May, will place the business at 5208 N. Clark St.—less than two blocks from its current Berwyn Avenue location—but at four times the size.

Founders Tyler McCall and Eric Campbell opened Paper & Pencil in 2023, quickly tapped into the analog trend fueling renewed interest in physical planners, journals, and other stationery items. The store earned a profit within its first six months and has recorded a 150% increase in year-over-year sales since summer 2025, according to Campbell. Social media has played a significant role in drawing visitors from both Chicago and beyond, with the shop amassing over 98,000 followers and recent online announcements about the move receiving tens of thousands of views and hundreds of congratulatory comments.

Limited space at the original 400-square-foot shop led to frequent lines and crowded conditions, prompting the search for a more accommodating venue. The new 1,600-square-foot storefront includes a basement for inventory and is described by the owners as a space designed for future growth. The Berwyn Avenue location will be retained and reimagined as a creative studio for workshops and community events, reflecting the business's continued connection to its original roots.

Paper & Pencil employs seven staff, and interest in new job postings has been high, with over 250 applications recently received for a part-time position. The shop’s co-owners credit the broader analog revival, as well as increased word-of-mouth from Stationery Fest—a local event they launched in 2025 that sold out in minutes—as drivers of their rapid expansion.

The Andersonville community has responded enthusiastically to the relocation news. According to McCall, many customers have expressed plans to visit the original site before the move, while anticipation builds for the reopening. The business does not currently sell products online, making the physical store a distinctive destination for stationery enthusiasts.

Final preparations for the new location are underway, with the transition aimed to coincide with Paper & Pencil’s third anniversary in May. The shop's owners report the business remains financially healthy, and they anticipate the expansion will accommodate even more visitors drawn to the renewed popularity of analog goods.