The best stationery stores in Melbourne

Stepping into this little Degraves Street nook is like an exercise in time travel – find Florentine-inspired hand-made, leather-bound journals, marbled paper and wax seals. If you are not feeling especially DIY, check out the custom printing and calligraphy service.    

Best for: gorgeous stationery and fancy quills. 

Online shopping: Yes! You can order online through the website, and you'll get free standard delivery for orders over $150. 

Zetta Florence is your place for your high-quality and a bit posh archival, presentation and stationery needs. It's a great place for that elusive stationery gift – gorgeous paperweights, writing and letter sets and ye olde maps of Europe. The presentation goods make sure your story lives in a stylish way, and the archival goods make sure it lives on and on and on.

Best for: sealing wax and fun wax stamps.

Online shopping: Yes! You can order online through the website and shipping is free for orders over $49. 

Rows of handmade colourful cloth-bound journals, notebooks and photo albums line the walls. Organised according to shade, it’s like looking at the world’s prettiest paint swatches.

Best for: artisan paper and elegant journals.

Online shopping: Yes! You can browse Kami's offerings on the website and get your order delivered for a flat rate of $10. Shipping is free for any order over $180. 

This one is mostly for art students, but there’s no reason the rest of us can’t avail ourselves of the wonders of this papery wonderland. Find everything from printed sheets of Japanese-linen paper for when you are wrapping to impress to miniature trees for model making.

Best for: paints and canvases.

Online shopping: Yes! You can browse the selection on the website and place an order for delivery, and shipping is free on orders over $120. 

Just a hop, skip and jump from the South Melbourne Market, you can find single sheets and packets of metallic, pearlescent, opalescent, printed, plain, matte and glossy paper for letter-writing, gift-wrapping and origami good times, plus envelopes and place cards to match. The journals, notebooks, ink pads and stamps, Washi tape and twine round out this paper treasure trove.

Best for: envelopes, greeting cards and diaries. 

Online shopping: Yes! Browse Paperpoint's offerings on the website and place an order for delivery. 

You’ll need a quality writing implement to complement your fancy stationery. With ballpoints and fountain pens ranging from $3.95 to $7,000, there’s something to suit every budget, plus a great range of stationery including the perfect paper for recording musing scribbles with a fountain pen. Pen City also has an engraving service if you need to inscribe a message for a gift. 

Best for: pens of all kinds.

Online shopping: Yes! You can order online through Pen City's website and shipping is free for orders over $50. 

Customise journals, notebooks, photo albums, pencil cases, invitations, stationery and just about everything else you can lay your hands on in store. Have your initials printed for free, or look into the digital printing or stamping options for logos and text.

Best for: stationery sets and fancy fountain pens and inks.

Online shopping: Yes! You can place an order on the website for delivery, and shipping is free for orders over $69. 

This is where we head for when we want to coordinate our stationery needs: folders for recipes, binders to organise receipts and expenses, a place to record gratitude, cool sticky notes, books to inspire, personal planners (for those of us who still prefer paper) and cards. Lesser known is the fact that Kikki K offers a great range of workshops, including one specifically about organisation, which will get you, your inbox and ten years of manuals, expenses and sundry documents sorted out quick splits.

Best for: notebooks and diaries.

Online shopping: Yes! You can order online through the website and shipping is free for orders over $200.