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Business Profile: Smitten on Paper
Business Aug 09, 2016
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Smitten on Paper could not have found a better home than Old Town’s Historic Lighting building. Upon entering the light-filled space, one is immediately transported into a dreamy atmosphere, straight out of a Jane Austen novel. – Photo by Gus Herrera
By Gus Herrera
Smitten on Paper’s team of designers have been transforming their client’s dreams and inspirations into beautiful custom stationery for more than a decade.
Although they specialize in wedding invitations, the business is capable of satisfying all of a bride’s custom needs throughout the entire process of their special day: from programs and menus, all the way to thank you cards.
Smitten on Paper’s custom stationery allows brides the opportunity to take the mystery out of one step of the overall, ever-complicated wedding-planning process, by working closely to ensure they get exactly what they envision.
Moreover, in lieu of their fairly recent move/expansion, Smitten on Paper is now also Monrovia’s newest one-stop shop for stationery, where you can find everything from greeting cards and notepads, to high-quality, imported calligraphy tools.
Eighteen months ago, Theresa Kuo, founder, jumped on the opportunity to evolve Smitten on Paper from a strictly-online business, operating out of a Pasadena office, into a self-sufficient retail and production operation, housed within Old Town Monrovia’s “Historic Lighting” building.
Kuo reveals that she had been eyeing Monrovia, specifically the dreamy, open-spaced brick structure on Lemon that used to belong to Historic Lighting Inc., “We really loved this particular building and we actually needed the space. I used to think, ‘wouldn’t it be great to work in this building one day’ and then it just happened to be available … ”
– Photo by Gus Herrera
Smitten on Paper’s move to Monrovia not only afforded the business much-needed space for their means of production (i.e. printing presses, supplies, etc.), it also enabled Kuo to expand her brand via retail sales and community workshops.
Whereas the business used to be limited to online interactions, Smitten on Paper’s brick-and-mortar location provides the designers a sanctuary in which to further connect with clients and more effectively grasp their visions.
Kuo’s new retail space, which conveys the feel of a fairy-tale cottage owned by Jane Austen, has also allowed her the opportunity to further Smitten on Paper’s very-own brand. The floor space not only serves as a field on which to test Smitten on Paper’s custom lines of stationery (planners, greeting cards, notebooks, and more), it also provides Kuo the space to carry a curated selection of products from local artisans/artists.
– Photo by Gus Herrera
Finally, Smitten on Paper’s new home allows Kuo to host a pleasant variety of stationery-related workshops, most of which have an emphasis on calligraphy. Kuo ensures that participants receive their money’s worth – instructors have to apply to hold classes, but, for the most part, workshops are led by well-known, highly-respected industry names – for example: Molly Thorpe, author of “Modern Calligraphy,” recently flew in from Greece to hold a sold-out session at Smitten on Paper.
Kuo reveals that workshops are social gatherings, as much as they are educational. Furthermore, Old Town’s wealth of dining/retail options complement and, essentially, enhance the workshop experience, “Monrovia is fantastic – the parking is great, there are restaurants nearby … so when we do have an all-day workshop, it’s convenient for everybody.”
Smitten on Paper is located at 114 E. Lemon Ave. in Monrovia. For more information, call (626) 795-1522 or visit www.SmittenonPaper.com. Smitten on Paper is also active on social media – to stay up-to-date, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
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