Pen & Pad

New to Fountain Pens and I looked these folks up to get info on the realities of these pens. The lady working when I came in was very nice, and helpful, she showed me their selection. I was not really intending to buy that day but I ended up with a very nice «Starter». Whatever level you are in with Fountain Pens this is a good all around shop, so check them out.

I’m new to the fountain pen market and wanted to check out some pens that have been tempting me over the last few weeks. Without taking a gamble online, it is very difficult to find stores with high quality fountain pens. Sure, Staples or Office Depot will sell you a low-​end Cross pen for way more than it’s worth but if you want fine writing instrumentation, retailers are few and far between.
During my visit to Albuquerque, I stumbled on Pen & Pad, a little specialty store in a strip mall. I was pleasantly surprised to walk in and find a small but well-​organized store with plenty of things to look at. I discovered a good selection of middle-​range and high end pens… although very highly sought after pens or ultra-​high end stuff like Mont Blanc wasn’t anywhere to be found.
I was specifically interested in the Waterman Carene (which they carried in limited styles) and the Namiki Falcon (which they didn’t have in stock). The staff was extremely friendly and did a fantastic job of showing me multiple pens I hadn’t considered. They seemed knowledgable (although admittedly I’m not so I wouldn’t be able to tell anyways) and not too pushy.
I didn’t end up buying a pen but consider my trip here successful. I would have given them 5-​stars except that the prices seemed a tad bit high, especially if you compare them to what you’d find online. A beginners pen like the Lamy Safari, which you can find for $ 22 on Amazon, was $ 40. However, sometimes it’s worth paying a bit more for something that you can touch and hold and take home with you. I didn’t check out any of their other products like paper or other supplies since it isn’t what I went for but I’m sure they had a good selection.
I give Pen & Pad my stamp of approval!