Bob Slate Stationer

This store has an excellent range of stationery. I like to buy notepads here — the slightly higher cost than online is worth it to support a bricks/​mortar store. The service can be a little surly. But generally a good place for all your stationery needs.

When I heard the news that Bob Slate was re-​opening with a new owner I was really happy and it’s great they are in part of the old Wordsworth Books/​Annex space. First off I’ll say my mum the artist always loved this store because you could try all the pens. There is a still a large and generous selection of single pens, speciality markers, as well as sets, a good selection of art supplies, wonderful section of cards and stationary and stationary gift items including Cranes, Caspari, and also mailing envelopes and supplies — looks like you can buy mailers or larger envelopes individually vs. having to buy the entire box. I’m so happy they are staying open a bit later so I can do a pre-​book-​club visit. The staff are very nice always answer questions and chatted with the clerk about the new Cambridge bag rule, apparently they got an exception to give out the rest of their bags, etc. Give a great indie store a chance and stop by!

Great selection of fine notebooks and journals. But, the cashier was eating food out of a bag while tending to customers, which I thought was rude and inconsiderate, especially in a place where delicate paper products (easily stained) are the main business.

Really big selection of pens/​pencils/​notebooks/​any school supplies you would need. Man behind counter took his time explaining to me his favorite mechanical pencils and why which ultimately helped my decision. You just can’t get service like this at a STAPLES. Recommend!

Bob Slate carries all kinds of awesome stuff, especially pens and notebooks, that really make me wish I wrote and drew more than I actually do (which is, almost never). Generally if I walk in, I’ll walk out having spent $ 20-​$ 40 more than intended, on fancy notebooks etc. that I may never get around to using. But I just can’t help myself.
The customer service model can be summarized as «benevolent neglect» in my experience, but forewarned is forearmed, so as long as one goes in to browse rather than to interrogate the staff, you’ll be fine. The main gripe I have is that their return policy is rather unforgiving. You better figure out your mistake and make a beeline back ASAP if you want to return anything. (Whether you succeed may also be contingent on who you are dealing with, but that’s just a suspicion.)
In short, they’re not perfect, but Harvard has only so many remaining quirky independent shops these days. If you want to give your money to a faceless corp like Staples, go for it; for those who want to keep independents alive, the aloof customer service is a tolerable price to pay.

This store has the most unique array of stationary of anything I have seen in the Boston area. I recommend you get a block of time to peruse what they have, quite a treat!

I enjoy buying my paper goods here, there is a wide selection of cards, note paper and pens. I will be back !!
D Patnod Acupuncture
Harvard Square

I’d been into the old location, many many, years ago. If I’d had more time I would have spent more time browsing the various paper products but I was in need of a specific pen refill asap. While they didn’t carry the exact type of refill I wanted I was able to find several substitutes on a spinner rack in the back.
Prices were substantially more expensive on the refills than if I were to order from Amazon or even online pen stores. But after factoring in shipping, well, never mind, Bob Slate’s was still more expensive.
Customer service was okay. I wasn’t blown away but I wasn’t summarily dismissed either. I wish I’d had more time to look at the pens at the pen counter but alas I am short on cash and I was short on time.
The location is VERY cramped, I generally carry a massive backpack with me for school, and today had my smaller bag, thankfully. Even with the smaller bag I was afraid of knocking crap over. While cramped the location is neat, well organized, and clean.
One of these days I’ll I end up looking over the paper products. It’s likely I’ll end up spending more cash than I should.
They have a $ 10 minimum on credit cards, none on debit cards. Which is about the most asinine policy ever. It’s not like you’ll go in and not spend over $ 10, but still, dumb. (which is why I detracted a star, otherwise it’s a 4 star kinda place.)

I was initially happy that Bob Slate reopened in Harvard Square, but after my visit there today, I’m not sure if I will return. A woman working at the pen counter was rude and condescending and provoked me to set down my items and leave the store. As an alternative with much better customer service, I would recommend University Stationery on Mass Ave in Central Square…

I’m not sure there’s anything in this store for me, it can be fun to look around, I want to support this small business but for some reason I can’t usually find anything inspiring to buy. I’ve bought pens and gifts, but there isn’t enough compelling merchandise for this to be a destination spot for me.

I’ll admit that at first I was hesitant to come here after the other Bob Slate store closed on Mass Ave, but I’m really happy with this place! It’s not as big as the old place, but I’ll give them props for a job well done! Only downside is that they’re quite expensive, and often out of my budget, but they have nice artsy stationary when you’re in need of it!

Great and well curated selection of goods (I purchased some archival ink 0.35 mm pens from Japan, an Exacompta poly folio from France, and thicker stock laser paper that they sell in packages of a 100 so you don’t have to buy a full ream if you don’t need it). They have quality products here but if I wanted more standard office supplies, I’d probably head over to a chain office supply store b/​c of the price point. Very helpful service. I’ll be back for sure though, a lot of their stuff I just haven’t been able to find elsewhere including big box stores. p. s. Street parking is a nightmare, take the T (it’s walking distance anyway) or lose your sanity circling like a vulture.

I rarely write Unilocal reviews, but I just have to say how wonderful Bob Slate is! I ordered my wedding invitations from them and Carolyn was absolutely fabulous to work with. She was extremely helpful, is clearly passionate about stationery (as am I!) and she had a diligent eye for the details. They don’t do a lot of marketing for their wedding invitations, but I would absolutely recommend using them. They carry a lot of major companies (crane, William Arthur, etc) and giant books to look through. It is great to be able to touch the options (rather than just order them online.) I also found it was cheaper to order at Bob Slate than it would have been to get the same thing from
. Also, the invited arrived within 10 days of placing my order. I would definitely recommend that other brides consider going to Carolyn at Bob Slate!

In spite of some reports of brusque service from that ‘older gentleman” (I know exactly what you mean) — Bob Slate has been tops for me in carrying quality products that I can’t find elsewhere. They also take the time to understand my specific needs and special order for me when needed. Examples: Uniball Deluxe Micro pens that Staples never has; the Sanford 314 Draughting pencil, perfect for field sketching.
BUT — forget about parking, if that’s your only reason for coming to the Square. And WHY don’t they have a web site to order on-​line or at least check out inventory before making the trip in?
Really appreciate the alternative to the take-​it-​or-​leave Staples/​Walmart/​WBMason/​et al

Bob Slate Stationer is a magnet for Harvard students – and college students in general. After all, Boston is crammed to the gills with colleges&universities. A stationery store serves a vital need– from pens and paper to postcards and colored pencils. It’s also good for souvenirs.
Do you need Freud, Sartre or Wittgenstein cards?
This is the place.
Bob Slate is the local destination for art supplies&souvenirs from the Athens of the West!

Devastated when they closed their old location — glad they reopened but parking is a PIA. This is my go to place for Claire Fontaine notebooks — love them and am so glad I can buy them locally rather than ordering them online. They do carry less inventory than they did at their old location — looked for the big sets of Pentel markers but did not see them — assuming they could probably order them for you.

I came in looking for a Parker fountain pen, specifically a Vector. A young lady named Jen helped me, offering all different pens for me to try, sharing her expertise, and sharing in my enthusiasm for fountain pens (which was very nice of her — I often feel like a weirdo for how much I love fountain pens). I was a bit disappointed that they couldn’t order a refillable cartridge for me, but whatever, I can get one online. The pen was the most important thing, and they had exactly what I wanted at a very, very decent price.
The four star instead of five star rating goes to the older man who rang up our order. «Surly» doesn’t even touch this guy. He was very unfriendly and acted like we were a huge burden on him just by being in the store. Talk about a shock after Jen’s welcoming attitude! We completed our order and scooted out as fast as we could. I’ll hesitate to go back for fear of having to deal with this man.
In short: great little store, great location, needs to work on the customer service for everyone over the age of 30. It’s a shop — make it welcoming or folks will find somewhere else to go.

I just took a five minute break to run over there and buy some watercolor postcards. Awesome. Now I am counting the seconds til close, and very much looking forward to the activity that will accompany my wine tonight.
I like art stuff. I like making collages and smearing ink, and graphite. I am interested in how the color red looks in various media on the same piece of paper. And I can’t get enough of those mushy eraser/​smearer thingys!
Tactile interaction with art and equipment is my release from the stresses of job/​school/​neighbors fighting. Bob Slate is a store that has many of these wonderful things that make me so so happy. And they’re back in Harvard Square, so convenient to my job.
Yay, art therapy! Wa-​hoo for Bob Slate back in business!

I’m a huge fan of a comeback story, and I had high hopes for Bob Slate’s. My partner and I have been back twice now since Bob Slate reopened, and each time the service ranged from surly and disinterested to downright rude.
The newspaper articles surrounding their relaunch suggested that they were going to spiff up their merchandise, but that’s not the case. I would say 95% of it appears to be items that were at the old stores (and the unsalable items at that). Their inventory looks tired. For instance, how many people do you think need labels for 5 ¼″ floppy disks? They are never going to sell them, so why not just count them as a loss and reclaim that shelf space? Other outdated products also remained on the shelves, covered in dust even after changing locations.
My love of independent shops makes me willing to overlook their dismal selection, but what really upset me was how we were treated on both of our visits. The first time, I was willing to drum it up to being the male salesperson having a bad day and thus being very flippant. But just this past week, when purchasing Christmas cards, we weren’t even greeted when we approached the register. I said hello to the cashier, and she didn’t even respond. That’s right, I said, «Hello!» and she said nothing. She merely said, «That will be such-​and-​such dollars,» and that was it. She didn’t even thank us for stopping in. Days later, I’m still surprised.
I know that customer service is hard work. My last job was a retail job and it sucked. But if you want customers to return, you have to work hard to create a warm environment, and that includes in bad weather, when you’re sick, and even when you’re exhausted. Unfortunately, all Bob Slate’s seems to serve for is as an example of how not to run one’s business.

Bob Slate is back in Harvard Square! I always bought Bön Slate brand spiral notebooks there. The have pale green pages and heavy cardboard covers — they told me that they are arriving soon. I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t been able to find a decent notebook since they closed.