De Medici Ming Fine Paper

I absolutely fell in love with this little hole-​in-​the-​wall the first time I visited. I was on my way to Paper Hammer to buy a few more thank you cards, when I was disappointed that it was closed on a Sunday. Thus, I did a quick « Unilocal» search and discovered this place on a whim. I’m so glad I did because, although it’s small, it’s packed with some amazing stationary and cards that are so unique and eye-​catching. I ended up purchasing a nice Japanese origami-​style card for my mom for Mother’s Day, a box of 20 Edward Hopper cards for my preschool parents, a cute bird gift tag for someone special, and a set of 10 gold-​embossed «Thank You» cards with cherry blossoms on the cover for my co-​workers. I always have a fun time browsing around in this place, but I think the shop workers probably think I’m crazy haha! I came back today, a week before they close (next Friday), and bought a set of 8 Wildflower Notecards by the artist Shirley Novak. As a young person, I guess I feel pretty classy compared to my peers for having an interest in and taking the time for writing cards to people.

‘ve been shopping here for years and I just heard it will be closing on May 27… I’m going to miss this place. Tiny but an excellent selection of unique papers and cards.

What a nice selection of fine notebooks. The gentleman working working was very friendly and helpful. I will be back for that Leuchtturm1917.

After a couple years of visiting this wonderful shop and spending many hundreds of dollars on gifts here, I was just asked to leave when I walked in with my über-​mellow dog (a mini poodle who has always shopped here with me). They apparently now have a zero tolerance no dog policy. Kind of shitty way to greet a long time customer who just took a nice stroll from Capitol Hill to purchase fine paper to wrap gifts with. You’ve just lost a customer.

I went in looking for fountain pens, they had a couple. Nothing much, though. However, they do have a TON of different papers for whatever you might need paper for.

I love this store just because it’s so small and filled with one of a kind must-​haves. I look forward to chatting with the store owner because she knows her mind. It’s totally cool I can’t take pictures, so I can be in the moment and take in each item little by little, like discovering an old friend. I like the fact that the store reminds me how things use to be.

Good selection of boxed art cards, with prices at or below museum shops. If you need cards that will reflect your sincerity without kitschiness, this is the place.

Sweet shop with beautiful cards and paper. Customer service was excellent. The store owner helped me in a pinch to figure out how best to assemble my wedding invitations. She clearly loves to be creative because she spent real time with me even though my purchase was small. I’ve returned several times since for unique, tasteful cards.

The lady who is in charge of this shop is arrogant and extremely rude. She had no idea what good customer service is.
The second I walked in she arrogantly said no pictures. Uhh I didn’t realize texting equated to taking pictures of your papers. Not the first paper shop I’ve walked into, you can stuff that sorry attitude somewhere else.
Sad news is I would’ve bought something if she wasn’t so rude. If you can’t make conversation and want an eerily a quiet shop, take your hobby home!

Absolutely charming store. It has so many wonderful options and great customer service. I definitely recommend checking this place out if ever in downtown Seattle!

If you love beautiful stationery, this is an absolutely charming little shop. I’m a big fan of letterpress and they have a large selection of really high quality letterpress cards and note cards. This is no Papyrus or Hallmark. The cards are thick and heavy. There are many designs to suit your fancy; they are unique, whimsical, classy, and oh so tasteful. The prices were commensurate with the quality. You get what you pay for. The wrapping papers are simply exquisite, with all kinds of pretty ribbons to match.
As others have noted, it is a tiny shop but it didn’t bother me. I thought it added to the charm. Photo-​happy Unilocalers should be aware that the owner does not allow photos to be taken inside the shop. She did send me a photo of some of the papers.
This is my go-​to shop for fine stationery.

I wanted a nice card to congratulate a lady at an ad agency that had won a lot of awards. So I go into this store to look at some nice paper for a card. I ask the proprietor working there if she can advise me on this.
First off, she’s cold and rude, but shows me around the store. I found this beautiful carrot papyrus, but needed it to be glued to card stock. The proprietor offers to glue it for me, and does. I see that there isn’t much glue and that it will probably fall off. I asked her to put more glue on, but she assured me it would be fine.
The glue turned out to be flimsy. I left the store and tried writing on the card, but the papyrus had already come unglued from the card.
I went back to the store to get it re-​glued. She takes issue with this. She says ‘in the industry, we don’t glue the paper more than I did. We call this «tipping.“‘ I could’ve done better myself with a gluestick, but I wanted to get this done in the store. So she takes it into the back room and re-​glues it. She says ‘against my better judgment, I glued it.’
In the middle of this exchange, I happened to crack my knuckles. She responds with ‘That’s really bad for your hands. You’re not going to do that in my store.’ This was all said with a stone-​cold, humorless b!%*$-face. This was the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced. I won’t be coming back.

A very small little store, you would feel quite claustrophobic, but the place itself carries a small selection of papers, stationery, other little knick-​knacks, and such. If you’re a huge pretty paper/​stationery fan, this is a must to stop by to mosey around.
+wonderful selection of papers, stationery, and some knick-​knack

Wow what a wonderful little jewel. This is a a tiny little place that has the most wonderful papers direct from Italy and the UK and other amazing places.
They aren’t cheap and paper will probably be as strange in 10 years as Vinyl LPs are today but there is something about the craft of making paper.
Got some excellent album that is just wonderful leather bound and perfect for scraps books and photo albums.
So if I really need a unique paper then this is the place to go.

Cute shop. It’s tiny, but offers a nice variety of cards and stationary. Paper is abundant here. Lots and lots of different types of paper! It’s worth checking out and beats the generic cards you find at the local drugstore.

This is an adorable little store. I wish it many years ahead of it. So happy my friend and I stumbled in.
Their products are beautiful! They have very kind of paper product you could need. Cards, wrapping paper, decoration, calendars, and so much more. If I won the lottery I would buy everything. I especially loved their moon calendar that showed the phases of the moon. Beautiful.

Just between you and me, I struggle with greeting cards. I’m not the type of person that can walk into the drugstore and pick out any old card on the shelf. I strive to give cards that people have never seen. Cards that are handcrafted. Cards that, when you hold them in your hand, you think to yourself, «Now, this is the way a card should be made. I should hang on to this one.»
And day-​by-​day, shops that sell cards of the type I’ve described are disappearing from the brick-​and-​mortar scene. Fortunately, De Medici Ming is a constant that I can rely on when I’m struggling to find that perfect card.
De Medici Ming has a vast collection of cards… not cheap drugstore cards, but amazing, handcrafted works of art. And they do a good job of stocking up on seasonal inventory. I can usually find a few great cards, even if I’m just a few days out from the holiday.
Customer service is an important part of any buying experience and again, De Medici Ming delivers. The folks that work there are great people who always seem eager to help you find what you need and are pleased when you find that one card that delights you.
My only complaint is that the shop is so darn small. I’m constantly bumping elbows with other shoppers and worried things will get knocked off the tables/​shelves. A small price to pay for the items I want, I suppose. And I’m sure the small space helps keep the prices of cards down somewhat.
Speaking of prices, I’d like to mention that you shouldn’t be surprised to find single cards in the $ 4.50-$ 7.50 range. I understand that some people will think these prices are absurd. Well, then this FINE PAPER shop is not your cup of tea… and I hope you never send me a card haha! I’ll gladly pay $ 6 for a card if it leaves a wonderful, lasting impression with the recipient
De Medici Ming Fine Paper… quite a Fine shop!

So many beautiful prints and weaves and textures. I could spend all of my money here!
I came by last Christmas to get some paper to create some greeting cards. The owner gave me the helpful hint of starting with the envelope, so I know what size to make the card — so helpful!
She was really patient with me as I took forever to pick out the perfect papers, then she quickly removed the sheets I requested from the rolls, and tied them back up.
It was so cute. Love this shop!

If you’re looking for fine paper, De Medici has been Seattle’s premier source for 29 years. The tiny, cramped shop is filled with ribbons, journals, notebooks, gift wrap, origami paper, pens, brushes, calendars, and greeting cards from around the world. The Japanese and Italian fine papers are particularly stunning.
They do have some lovely greeting cards from R. Nichols, Snow & Graham, Driscoll Design, Waste Not Paper, and so forth, but they need more space to display them. They’re currently in boxes organized by company and sometimes the card designs get mixed up. It’s not easy to see all their greeting card designs because they need a better way to display and organize them.

Did you know that paper can be made from beets? Me neither.
Not until yesterday afternoon when I popped into De Medici. Probably the most amazing collection of fine paper goods I’ve ever seen in my life. As an artist, I’ve always loved paper. As a child, I would draw and paint for hours on whatever I could get my hands on. If I grew up with a silver spoon in my mouth, I would have begged my parents to buy me paper here.
Gorgeous cards, wrap, pens, calendars, origami paper, journals and art. Beautiful handmade hand-​printed stationery– expensive, yes– most of it nice enough to frame.
I cannot really say enough about this store… it’s lovely. I would love to give or get anything from De Medici.
Especially some of that fancy beet paper. It’s right behind the door, near the window on the wall if you want to get me somethin’ pretty.