I was browsing for stationery news headlines this week when I found an article in Publisher’s Weekly announcing that Barnes & Noble has acquired Levenger. Levenger is a lifestyle brand known for its stationery products, writing instruments and office and desk decor. So I thought it merited a mention on a blog dedicated to desk space.
I don’t know what my reaction is though. On the plus side, Barnes & Noble has always had a nice selection of journals and planners in its physical stores. I don’t recall seeing a large selection of pens there before, but I’m not opposed to it. I’m also in favor of sharing more delightful analog tools and products with audiences everywhere, and it sounds like a selection of products will be introduced fairly soon. Plus they are keeping the Levenger headquarters and employees in place and are continuing to sell through the Levenger website. This seems like a great opportunity for Levenger.
However, I can’t help but be a little wary of the large company purchasing the smaller one. B&N has announced it will sell select items in its own stores and in the future will add some items through Paper Source, which it acquired in 2021. I don’t know if you remember that Paper Source declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021 (likely how it led to the B&N acquisition) but that whole incident left a bad taste in my mouth. Again, I want to see small and medium-size stationery brands succeed in the marketplace, but I’m also not sure how to feel about large corporations entering the space.
Do you have thoughts?
My impression has always been that Barnes & Noble cheapens the brands that show up in their stationery section. I would hate to see Levenger become a parody of itself and lose some of the high quality stationery and lifestyle products they started with in the beginning. I remember when they opened a store at Marshall Fields in Chicago, and M bought me the loden green suede pocket tote, that the character Brenda had in Six Feet Under. I still love that bag! Obviously, some of their items are a bit cost prohibitive, but they deserve credit for trying to keep up the quality and interest they had in the early years. Their products have changed and gone through some evolution, but there are still some unique things that are hard to find elsewhere. Besides, forgive me if I am wrong, but Barnes & Noble used to be full of clunky Levenger knockoffs during the holidays. I feel like the same thing happened to Paper Source. It used to be so unique and artsy, and now it’s just a lot of plastic stocking stuffers. Some of the original things are there, but not the way they used to be. I guess we’ll see. Sigh
My first thought was I’m not sure how I feel about this. The Levenger catalog was always the dreambook when it came.
The stationery section at B&N always felt like an afterthought, shoved into some awkward spot between genres. But it had quirky and unusual items.
And then it devolved into plastic novelty pens and the like. Not exactly what you’d put together if you were matchmaking.
When my parents were alive I enjoyed occasionally borrowing their car and visiting the Levenger headquarters. There was the most fascinating collection of merchandise!. I found a returned case, containing a brass telescope, with a name engraved on the outside. I had more letters added and used that when I named named my daughter.
What a cool story!
I have used their pocket briefcase since the mid 90s, mostly for notetaking at trade shows and remote meetings. It was a lifesaver when I was still a journalist. The brand seems a little too upscale for B&N’s in-store offerings, especially given the current economy.
Selfishly I hope this means I can buy some Levenger items in the future without paying an arm and leg for shipping to Hawaii. I’ve stopped browsing their site because the shipping seems more insane than it needs to be. As it is a complimentary line of business and there is synergy between books, stationery and desktop items, it seems like a good pairing that has a chance to keep some of the original spirit. Regarding Paper Source, it was owned by private equity prior to B&N and hadn’t been a small business for quite some time. So it just moved between one private equity ownership to another. Don’t get me wrong, I am no fan of private equity. I would prefer more small business and regional businesses. In today’s climate of special favors and exemptions along with uncertainty about shipping and tariffs, I worry there are too many obstacles for your neighborhood retailer to succeed.
Oh sorry! I didn’t mean to imply that Paper Source was small. Just that they stock products from smaller, independent makers (or did) and that in doing so they have the opportunity to make or break those makers.
If B&N stocks the Circa notebooks, people might learn their higher price is due to the value added in the Levenger disc notebooks. I want to see the Levenger online still succeed as an online business. I have a lot of their True Writer fountain pens. They make more rollerball pens than fountain pens. I’ve wanted to see more fountain pens. Will ownership change that for the better?
interesting development… I worked for B Daltons when B&N swooped in and bought us out… changed lots, until we were no more , absorbed into them… maybe now it will be different but…. After the paper Source fiasco… ( they pulled a lot of underhanded crap right before they filed chptr 11- putting many small businesses under in the process…) anyway, it will be interesting to see what they do with Levenger…. maybe in not a good way…lol
I have several Levenger Sliver disc bound notebooks. I don’t really need more but I hope the brand isn’t diminished by the sale.