Category: thought

Based largly on my friend  Ryan’s urgings, I finally made a visit to a pen store here in the Twin Cities called Ink. Three words… Completely Blown Away! Proprietor Barry Rubin has created, what has to be, one of the most amazing shopping experiences I have ever had. It is something I will remember forever.

There are a few unique things about shopping at Ink. In order to shop, you must make an appointment. Barry explained that he does this to give each shopper the personal service he strives to provide. When in the store, he is at your sole serivce, ready to answer any questions or grab any pen you wish to try.

Another thing is the selection. He has a vast assortment at every price point. You could walk in and spend $20.00 or $20,000.00 or anything in between. There really is something here for everyone. For me, I walked away with a Taccia Staccato (pictured above). Words simply can’t explain what a big beautiful pen this is. Extremely smooth to write with. As the Ink tag line says, this is “Art. Five inches tall.” (although ths one is a bit larger than 5 inches. 

Finally, the view. Ink is located on the 45th floor of the IDS Center in downtown Minneapolis. One of the tallest buildings in the state. When you walk in the door of Ink on a clear day, you are meet with a jaw dropping southward facing view that streches for miles. It takes several minutes to simply take this all in before you even notice the store. 

Barry has a true passion for pens. His passion shows in every detail. From the location, to the business model, to the hand written receipt. He provides not just a shopping experience, but an owning experience. He made me, the customer, feel like an old friend and gave me a true sense of ownership in a shared passion.

If you live in the area  or plan to visit soon, you must make an appointment if for simply the view alone. Be warned though, it is hard not to get lost in the beauty of the fine five inch art that surrounds you. You will want to take home a work of your very own.

teamtrixie:

Hi. I am Beatrix Camille Gladhill Rhone, Duchess of Heckofalot, Potentate of Poop. I am not quite sure how I got here. As I remember it, one moment I was comfortable, the next, I was here. Mommy (The Princess) and Daddy (No official title that I can tell, but I suspect he is the Butler) tell me that Mommy was induced at about 11:30am on February 8th and labored with me for many hours through the night. She told me that it was very difficult and painful until they gave her the medicine. She says that the medicine helped a lot.

All I remember is that I kept feeling like I was getting squeezed through a very small passageway and, while I was certainly interested in the mystery of it all at first, after a while I got bored. I finally had to put my foot down, as it were, and say “I don’t care about your stupid passageway and, frankly, I am bored with this whole game and I am not moving another inch and I am Duchess Beatrix of Heckofalot so you can’t make me!!!” So, there I was. All night and into the next morning, I did not move for the stupidheads. I did not budge one centimeter. For six hours…

Then, the stupidheads played the dirtiest little trick. They opened up a big magic door at the top of the passageway and yanked me right on up and out. Februrary 9th at exactly 8:41am (I made sure I was taking notes so I could write this full report later). Can you believe that? The nerve. I was in such shock and horror over there blatant disrespect for the crown that I was speechless. I mean, I was such a mess and I was surrounded by all these stupidheads poking and prodding and wiping me off with towels and wrapping me up and shining hot bright lights on me like some peasants pie awaiting purchase. Don’t get me wrong. I mean no disrespect to Princess and her Butler but, you just can’t treat a member of the royal family this way. I let them know that. In no uncertain terms…

Eventually, after calming down and taking stock of my surroundings, I decided that this place was not too bad. After all, there are servants to cater to your every whim. All I have to do is snap my fingers or cry until I start turning blue and I can get what ever I want. Warm blankets. Pretty hats. Two big sacks of fresh food. Anything. Besides, this place has better art, if one can really call it that, then the last place. I mean, the avant guard expressionist study of the color red can get old no mater how comfortable one is. But I digress… My point is that I know the Princess and her Butler ( I certainly hope that is who he is because she is too pretty and smart to have “married down”) only mean the best for me and would not have brought me here otherwise. My safety, comfort and security are of the utmost importance. After all, I am the future ruler of all civilized people.

You may bow now.