Truphae Store

Truphae 2.0 - Our Venture into Brick & Mortar

Truphae Brick & Mortar Grand Opening

By Chris Henline

Those who know me know that I'm quite the dreamer - but never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined a Truphae storefront in downtown Greenville, SC, fully stocked with the finest of fountain pens and ink. Complimented by the huge support of brand distributors and our faithful customers, our leap to brick and mortar turned into one of the most epic weekends I’ve ever had! 

pen store near me

 

How did we end up here!?

As a long-time proponent for online retail, I was a die-hard believer that the Internet was the only place for Truphae.

As a bit of an introvert, this just made sense to me! We began Truphae in 2016, working solely out of our apartment, fulfilling orders from our kitchen table. I always wanted to focus on being easy to deal with, and on trying to provide as good of customer services as I could.

Thankfully, I believe this helped to grow our business tremendously over the course of 3 years – to the point that we were no longer able to house our inventory.

Something had to give - you can only live for so long with pen boxes in your bathroom, kitchen and dining room! 

With the closing of several fountain pen retailers in our areas of Greenville, Charlotte, Atlanta, and more, it felt like there was a need for a place where people could come test out any pen they please. It would be a great way for us to finally meet the people that we electronically corresponded with for so long.

I could know people by their face instead of their Instagram username now! So what began as a storage issue and a lack of workspace blossomed into so much more.

fountain pen store near me

 

September 21st, 2019

One of the most nerve-wracking factors to opening a store was the lack of knowing how many pen enthusiasts would be willing to make a trek to our little town.
We were lucky enough to host the Grand Opening the day after the Pelikan Hubs, so we were able to get in touch with Atlanta and Charlotte’s hubs to invite their attendees to the opening - and I'm so glad that we did!
When the big day rolled around, we had the privilege of meeting and greeting hundreds of fellow Penthusiasts.
truphae
With the support of brand reps, we were able to showcase thousands of pens, from brands such as Aurora, BENU, Diplomat, Esterbrook, Montegrappa, Pineider, Platinum, ST Dupont, Visconti, Waldmann, and many more. There was truly something for everyone!
downtown greenville sc
Waldmann Fountain Pen
downtown greenville shopping
downtown greenville
We were even lucky enough to have the Nib Grinder himself, Mark Bacas, here!
downtown shops

Launching the thINK Initiative

If you’re like me, you’re a bit peeved that kids are no longer taught to write in cursive.

In a world overloaded with technology, it feels like they’re barely taught to write at all! However, there is a huge shift happening in the fountain pen demographic.

In an industry that the general populous would view as a washed-up has-been, we’re seeing Millennials grow more and more fond of fine writing instruments. I think it's a reprieve from the technology that's shoved in our faces at every waking moment.

We want to do our part in fostering this creativity, so we are launching the thINK Initiative!

For every purchase made in-store (big or small!), or on our website, we will donate a beginner fountain pen to a creative writing program, art institute or school.

Truphae Customers

We have begun taking applications to receive these fountain pens, so if you know anyone that works closely with young people in this capacity, please feel free to reach out and we will work on getting some free fountain pens to you! 

 

What’s next?

If you thought this was the end of the festivities planned for our brick and mortar location, think again! We plan to do brand events every few weekends, with some already in the works.

main street greenville sc

We plan to host events with David Oscarson, LAMY, Pilot, and Visconti within the next 4 months. We also plan to work with a local calligrapher to offer periodical lettering classes through her Sip & Script affiliation. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to find out when these events will be held.

ST Dupont Vendor Booth

In conclusion, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our amazing supporters and customers – you are all like friends to us, and I hope that we can repay this amazing fountain pen community through our continued involvement in bringing unique experiences to both our online and in-store supporters.

Thank you all! See below for more photos!

greenville sc shopping

Esterbrook Fountain Pen Collection

Waldmann

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truphae greenville sc

truphae

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11 comments


  • Julie Pavletich

    Hello! A friend forwarded this article about you. My father passed away in June, and left a tremendous collection of fountain pens (antique, modern, expensive, not expensive). I truly know nothing about fountain, pens, except that my dad was an amazing calligrapher, and absolutely adored collecting.
    Do you sell only new pens? Or preowned pens as well? I am going to be selling my dad’s collection, and I am afraid of being “taken for a ride“ by someone who will make thousands by reselling my dad’s collection. I am in the Chicago area, and I am wondering if you know any reputable appraisers and/or buyers.

    I’d love to hear from you, in case you have any advice about this collection.

    Thank you for your consideration,
    Julie Pavletich


  • Ray Loftis

    I Just Wanted to extend my deepest thanks to Chris and the Truphae Team. My interaction with Chris ,finding me a Sailor Pen not in stock, and patiently working with me trough my computer ordering dilemma was quite refreshing. I will continue to purchase and pass along my pleasant experience with Truphae to my family and friends and social media.


  • Rhodes Kriske

    Hi Edgar – Yes, we do! Here’s the link (https://www.truphaeinc.com/products/noodlers-ahab-vulcans-coral-fountain-pen-flex-nib). We try our best to keep our inventory as up to date as we can, so most Noodler models are in stock.

    Also, if you’re every just looking to browse through our Noodlers you can view the collection here – https://www.truphaeinc.com/collections/noodlers.


  • Edgar RAines

    Do you currently have the Noodler’s Ahab pen in Vulcan’s Coral (Noodler number 15057). How would one find out about the Noodler’s prices, available inventory, and ink colors? Thanks so much. Edgar Raines.


  • Keith Benson

    Hi!, I recently discovered your business and now have an account. Having collected pens since the early 80’s I’ve formed relationships with several retailers over the years and try to support independent brick and mortar businesses. I’d just like to say “Thank-You” for having a place where people can actually set their eyes and hands on the pens. I live in Dallas and San Diego – no more “real” pen stores in Dallas since Joe closed Penwright in Dallas many years ago. San Diego is much like Dallas – aside from a few good independent bookstores – nothing. I look forward to meeting you in Greenville at some point – meanwhile I will continue to support you by purchasing online. Stay Well, – Keith


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