Amid a pandemic and a flood, Bob Slate Stationer endures as a reader favorite

Readers Weigh In Bob Slate Stationer open in Harvard rectangular in 1930 and specializes in stationery, pens, gifts, and extra.

Bob Slate Stationer is not any stranger to weathering tough storms. The lengthy-standing stationary keep has been serving the individuals of stronger Boston's stationary needs for the reason that 1930 and in that time has survived every thing from the outstanding melancholy to its most contemporary battles — the ongoing pandemic and a building flood that threatened to close the keep down just as it turned into ready to get again on its ft. 

on the Harvard square save, you'll find stationery, fountain pens, crafting or gifting materials, calendars, and extra. despite the challenges they've faced seeing that the pandemic, proprietor Laura Donohue observed they owe their success to their dedicated community. 

Bob Slate Stationer become named via many Boston.com readers as a local favourite that stood out as an integral part of the group. 

"considering the fact that 1930, Bob Slate has been serving the Cambridge group and has withstood the verify of time. whereas reinventing itself and modernizing its inventory it additionally includes the staples that any student, professor, or customer wants," talked about Lisa D. from Barnstable. "A pleasant and very knowledgeable group of workers stands on the able to aid with fountain pens, personalized stationery, reward-wrapping, or break items. whatever you may want, Bob Slate is there to help! It is not to be neglected!"

a daily client before she purchased the keep from the Slate family in 2011 after their retirement, Donohue is aware of what it's want to think welcomed into the save. 

"i used to be a devotee of the shop on the grounds that i was a scholar at Harvard and that i at all times came there for not simply my materials, but only for a comforting journey," she stated. "i love to think of it as a group establishment the place people are available in and see fairly issues and simply relish themselves. For some purpose, it is a superb comfort to them to be able to come into the identical location for such a long time and notice that it hasn't in fact modified that plenty."

because she took over, Donohue has made small improvements like highlighting new inventory and altering shows, but for essentially the most part, she's set on holding its basic appeal to give customers a "sense of consistency and lifestyle." It remains a place to indulge in the "art of written verbal exchange."

"stunning stationery, unequalled pen collection, a professional staff," noted Sabina G. from Arlington. "What's not to like?"

The pandemic and lockdowns that followed got here as a blow to the keep, which become forced to close down along with many other non-essential agencies in the spring of 2020.

"It changed into a panicky moment after we heard that Harvard changed into closing down because Harvard on no account closes for anything," Donohue spoke of. "We simply closed down and waited and it got simply extra stressful and disturbing by way of the minute."

without an established online shop, Donohue needed to depend on fiscal guidance from the metropolis of Cambridge, the state, and her personal own discounts to make certain the shop would reside afloat unless they may reopen for in-grownup earnings once again. Then, simply as lockdowns had lifted and campuses had reopened, bringing again foot site visitors to the store, catastrophe struck again. 

Donohue and her personnel got here into the keep one day in October 2020 to discover that a water leak within the constructing had flooded the store damaging an awful lot of their inventory and technology. 

"That become in reality the day I very nearly gave up," she talked about. "i believed, I just can't go through this, too."

The save's landlord allowed them to movement into an empty area next door, and Donohue and her workforce began the method of moving, one carton at a time, to the new location. as a result of the pandemic, it changed into complex to get the fundamental repairs achieved as quickly as she would have favored, but Donohue credits her staff for their efforts in keeping the place working smoothly for consumers. 

Her fellow business owners in Harvard rectangular, who like many local corporations additionally faced a tough yr, had been also enormously supportive, stated Donohue. 

much of the restoration effort has been made viable by using donations from consumers. After the flood, Donohue became to GoFundMe to raise funds for the save. Bob Slate Stationer is now returned in its normal vicinity, but restoration continues to be ongoing. 

do you know a native GoFundMe to aid this 12 months?

"We had been left with a very great bill, and [I] bought on my knees with all humility [to] beg for the tips of our loyal fans and [to] simply see in the event that they can help," Donohue talked about. "i was simply absolutely amazed and so grateful and so appreciative of how the purchasers just dove appropriate in."

For Donohue, the last two years have best highlighted the significance of having a shop like Bob Slate Stationer. Many people rediscovered their love of writing and crafting over the pandemic and having a brick and mortar stationery save meets a necessity some didn't understand they had. When hunting for certain stationery, Jessica V. from Arlington stated the save is the first vicinity she appears. 

"Bob Slate's is crammed to the brim with pleasant stationery items from greeting cards to hard-to-discover notebooks just like the 5.5×7 quad dominated one with green-tinted pages. they've an enormous pen alternative from everyday pens to presents," she pointed out. "The body of workers is awfully an expert and invested in assisting purchasers find what they are seeking and will take special orders. totally counseled for stationery fanatics and workplace give aficionados alike."

Bob Slate Stationer can have its doorways open to anyone rediscovering or experiencing the "pleasure of writing" for as long because it can, referred to Donohue. 

"I'd care to do what I've been doing for 10 years," Donohue stated. "I do accept as true with that what we are is a native cultural establishment and we deserve to reside here and be here and provide that experience of walking within the door." 

This keep is likely one of the dozens of native businesses advised via readers as among the most effective in the greater Boston enviornment. See Boston.com's checklist of native groups and nominate your personal right here. locate the corporations listed within the interactive map under.