Black Ink

A gem among the bustle of Harvard Square in the Spring is Black Ink. Some days, this store seems to be hiding in plain sight. Despite its door being open for most of the warmer months, with people walking in and out for every minute it's open, Black Ink always looks organized, clean and full of possibilities.

I'm a huge fan of the floor-to-ceiling shelving they have going on, but don't worry -- all the cool stuff is at eye level anyways. The use of space in this store is impeccable, with trinkets and novelties everywhere you look. On a busy day, this place can get pretty crowded. However, it's worth a little patience and perseverance to look at the selection of homemade, handmade, letterpressed and downright funny cards.

This is a place where cards are organized by occasion. This is a store where a teapot could sit on a shelf next to a coloring book. This is a place where the only plastic toys are little rubber hands and nostalgic slinkys. Natural light pours over hand-painted chopsticks, puffy stickers and vintage-looking tin airplanes.

As the name suggests, it's a great store for stationery, pens, notebooks and pencils. It's so much more than a stationery store though! I'm convinced that there's something for everyone here -- from wonderfully crafted decor pieces to sleek reusable water bottles, it's a one-stop shop for meaningful gifts.

If you don't spend time around Harvard Square often, fear not, there's another Black Ink up near Beacon Hill. The minute I walked in I was shocked at how consistent their layout was between the two stores.

Just let me know if you buy a strange little Kewpie doll. I hear Sam Smith really likes em.

Black Ink is located at 5 Brattle Street in Cambridge, MA. 
There is also another Black Ink location at 101 Charles Street in Boston, MA. 

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Nishat