Posts filed under Store Visit

A Visit to Retro 51

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

Before I headed home after the 2025 Dallas Pen Show, I asked Jeff Velker of Retro 51 if I could pop by for a short visit, and he said yes, so here goes!

Situated in an office complex, the Retro 51 headquarters is located in Richardson, Texas, about 15 minutes from the Dallas Pen Show hotel, the Doubletree Hotel Dallas Galleria.

Behind this unassuming door is all the hard work that goes into creating and shipping Retro 51 pens out to their fans.

Just inside the entrance, this etched glass reminds us all that “Life is too short to carry an Ugly Pen!”

On the other side of the glass are the Retro 51 archives. Jeff Velker is standing in front of drawers filled with most of the Retro 51s ever made!

One of the archive drawers. See those empty slots? Those are some of the ones they don’t have in their archive yet.

Opposite the window is a display of awards, pens, and various Retro 51 products/memorabilia.

A big Retro nib and airplane displays.

Rudy, the Tiki Tissue Box Holder, is one of my favorite Retro 51 products.

Jeff is working hard to keep everything running smoothly.

That’s one nice display of Retro 51 pens sitting on Jeff’s desk!

Retro 51 is part of the Writeside Holdings portfolio of brands, which also includes Fahney’s Pens, and Write USA, which is now the distributor for Waterman, Parker, Rotring, and more. Along with business partners Adam Finer and Joe Corona, Jeff oversees operations for Retro 51, Fahrney’s and Write USA.

Jeff (left), Adam Finer (center), and Joe Corona (right) - the three partners behind Retro 51 and Writeside Holdings.

In addition to the offices for accounting, marketing, sales, etc., they have space filled with Retro 51s (and other products) ready to be shipped out to customers or to their authorized retailers.

There was something in this room that I was not allowed to photograph – you’ll have to ask Jeff about it when you visit! (Hint: it’s not in this picture so don’t bother zooming, lol.)

This room is packed with tools and engraving machines to personalize your Retro 51, or for adding special designs/logos for events.

Earlier this year, Retro 51 added some more space next door so they can expand the warehouse, as well as provide more room for the creative team, and a small space for retail sales and possibly meetups. Maybe it’ll be ready by next year’s Dallas show?

The creative team has a lot of space to come up with and design future releases.

After a quick tour of the Retro 51 HQ, we headed out to lunch where I asked both Jeff and Richard Koehler ((long time employee and Creative Director for Retro 51) a few Rapid Fire Questions:

What are your favorite Retro 51s?

Jeff: With so many new pens being released, it’s hard to pick a favorite because favorites rotate all the time. Right now, probably Dr. Jekyll and an exclusive that was made for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival VIP attendees.

Jeff’s current faves - Dr. Jekyll (left) and Kentucky Bourbon Festival (right.)

Richard: Lift Off and Flying Tiger

Richard’s faves: Lift Off (left) and Flying Tiger (right.)

Favorite color?

Jeff: Blue/Cyan

Richard: Bright Green

Most used non-Retro 51 pens?

Jeff: Pilot Vanishing Point

Richard: Kaweco Sport, Pigma Micron, and Fineliners

Coffee or Tea?

Jeff: Coffee, black with a little Stevia

Richard: Coffee, little cream and sugar

Favorite place to visit/travel?

Jeff: I’d love to go to Germany, Italy, and Japan

Richard: Kauai

Here are some of my favorite Retro 51s:

I own several of the Fahrney’s Cherry Blossom exclusives, but this 2025 one marked a new chapter for Retro 51, Fahrney’s, and Drew Brown, whom I affectionately refer to as “Mr. President”.

The first 10 on the left are various “drinks” exclusives from Goldspot, then NYC Skyline, The System, Ice-O-Metric, and Sprinkle Ops, Zodiac, Ombre Blue fountain pens. And the two on top are “PEN” and “2025 PEN”. (I swear I’m not kissing up to the Bossman!)

A huge Thank You to Jeff Velker, who accommodated my visit on short notice, and also to Richard Koehler who spent some extra time showing me the archives. I had a great time!

(Disclaimer: Retro 51 isn’t open to the public, so please don’t just show up. You can contact them by phone, email, or chat.)

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Posted on October 10, 2025 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Retro 51, Store Visit.

Mt. Fo’rest Shop Visit

Mt. Fo’rest officially launched their brick and mortar store in Pasadena, California in early May of this year, and hosted a grand opening event in mid-June. I wasn’t going to be in town for that but I was going to be in SoCal the weekend after, so I absolutely had to check it out.

*The entrance to the Mt. Fo’rest shop is not on the street-side, it’s in the back, where there are also limited parking spots.*

*Note the store hours - glad I didn’t plan to visit on Sunday! You can check the website beforehand for current store hours.*

The store is bright and roomy with lots of natural light coming from the street-facing windows.

*A wall full of stickers and accessories - my kind of place!*

*Check out this map of Pasadena highlights, drawn by Jeff, who does most/all of Mt. Fo’rest’s artwork!*

It was hard to resist these adorable washi cutters! You wrap their limbs around a roll of washi tape and rip the tape across their bums (giggle, that’s what it looks like to me and yes, I’m 12, lol.)

*Are you #TeamCat (left) or #TeamDog? I think these stamps from the Portland Stamp Company are both awesome, but I’m on #TeamDog!*

*Love the variety of paper offerings, from Tomoe River notebooks, to pads and looseleaf Iroful, Yu-Sari, Yamamoto, and more.*

*Gel & ball pens, refills, pencils, notebooks as well as desk accessories like trays and organizers.*

*Check out this cupboard of cuteness! Figurines and accessories from Mofusand, mystery boxes, as well as pouches by [Anchal][0], a non-profit that empowers marginalized women in India.*

*Traveler’s Company notebooks and refills.*

*Kakimori dip pens, nibs, brush liners/markers, fountain pens, rollerballs. I love how their ink swatches, which Jeff made using an artist paint-sprayer.*

*In addition to stationery, Mt. Fo’rest also had accessories like totes, trays, keychains, etc.*

*Renny Liu (right), along with husband, Jeff (left), and team member, Diana, were super cheery and helpful.*

*Renny showed us this art from Jeff, which was the original concept art from their brainstorming days! So cool!*

*I was good and only got two washi tapes (one of which I gave to a friend, so there’s only one in this picture), and this cute tote bag!*

It is a lovely little shop with a nice variety of stationery products and is worth the visit. Mt. Fo’rest is located at 55 W. Del Mar Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91105. The shop is open 10:30am - 5pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and 12pm - 5pm on Saturday, but check the website to make sure. You can email them at hello@temporarylocation.com or call (909) 616-905. Mt. Fo’rest is also on Instagram as mt.fo.rest.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on June 27, 2025 by Kimberly Lau and filed under Store Visit.

Montblanc Boutique, Honolulu - Shop Visit

My family and I spent spring break in Oahu, Hawaii and I managed to finagle a few minutes away when we went to the Ala Moana Mall in Honolulu. Aside from getting lunch (which was their primary goal,) I also wanted to check out the Montblanc Boutique. The Ala Moana Mall is one of, if not the, largest outdoor malls and it is worth checking out, for all the food and shopping, even if you’re not into pens (but you are, which is why you’re reading this, amirite?).

Montblanc is a luxury brand, known for more than just pens, such as accessories, leather goods and watches.

*Sunglasses, suitcases, and other fancy things!*

*Leather accessories like wallets, portfolios, briefcases, etc.*

*Watches (if y’all think pens are expensive, watches are next level.)*

*This 1858 Geosphere will set you back $6,000.*

Let’s be real though, I didn’t stop in the shop to look at accessories and watches, I came to see pens!

*More limited edition pens on the wall, like Jane Austen, Gatsby, Maria Callas, and more.*

*The Origin Collection - The Coral ones on the right are extra stunning.*

*Around the World in 80 Days Collection.*

I knew about Montblanc’s Bespoke customization program but I thought it was just for special nib sizes. I had no idea they could do other fancy designs too! I wish I had more time to spend at the shop, because the staff can help design a bespoke nib for you on their computer. Maybe someday when I win the lottery.

*Check out this one-of-a-kind rabbit engraved nib with a set-in ruby!*

*They had these cool postcards and encouraged me to take one of each design as a souvenir!*

*Once I picked out a postcard to send to myself (something I forgot to do for the rest of the trip, oops), they asked if I needed a pen to write with!*

*I picked the BB (since I can’t write with obliques). What a fun nib!*

*Then you drop the postcard into their very cool mailbox and they will stamp it and mail it for you.*

Carl Saito was such a kind, friendly salesman, who answered lots of questions and showed me various pens that I couldn’t afford, lol. His personal daily carry is this stunning Montblanc Solitaire Le Petit Prince ballpoint! If you see him, tell him I said hi!

*They didn’t have the Renoir ink I was looking for but I thought this Coal Blue ink, along with my postcard, would also be good souvenirs of my visit!*

*Quick swatches of the Coal Blue ink - it’s much more of a grey than blue.*

The Montblanc Honolulu boutique is located in the Ala Moana Center, at 1450 Ala Moana Blvd Suite #2215, Honolulu, Hawaii 96814. The store is open daily from 10am - 8pm. You can reach them by phone at 1-808-942-4810 or via email.

PS - if you do go to the mall and like poke bowls, head down to the garage level and go to Foodland. You won’t regret it.