Paper & Pencil's Bigger, Bolder Clark Street Home Is Here — and Andersonville's Stationery Obsession Has Never Been More Real
By Socialhood News · Andersonville ·
If you've ever tried to squeeze into the tiny Berwyn Avenue shop that became one of Andersonville's most talked-about destinations, you already know the drill: a line stretching out the door, elbows grazing display shelves, and a wait that somehow feels worth it. That era is over — and what replaced it is something the neighborhood can genuinely be proud of.
Paper & Pencil, the beloved stationery boutique co-owned by Tyler McCall and Eric Campbell, has officially moved into a dramatically larger home at 5208 N. Clark St. — right on the heart of Andersonville's main corridor. The new space, which opened in May, is four times bigger than the shop's original 400-square-foot footprint at 1480 W. Berwyn Ave. The Clark Street address was previously home to Jameson Loves Danger, a pet supplies store that closed nearly a year before Paper & Pencil took over the lease.
McCall and Campbell opened Paper & Pencil in 2023 and turned a profit within six months — a remarkable achievement for any independent retail shop, let alone a specialty stationery store. Sales then surged 150% year over year in summer 2025, and growth has continued into 2026, fueled in part by a broader cultural wave that social media has dubbed the "return to analog" — an embrace of physical planners, journals, washi tape, fountain pens, and handwritten correspondence over screen-based alternatives. Paper & Pencil has been at the center of that movement in Chicago, and the numbers show it: since January 2026 alone, the shop's combined TikTok and Instagram following grew more than 22.5%, topping 98,000 followers. An Instagram reel announcing the new location racked up over 71,000 views in just three days.
What makes the shop's story distinctly Andersonville is that it was never supposed to be a phenomenon. "We just wanted to open a cute little shop in our cute little neighborhood," McCall told Block Club Chicago. "We never dreamt it would turn into what it has." The original Berwyn Avenue storefront isn't going dark, either: McCall said the team plans to convert that space into a workshop and gathering venue — a move that fits naturally into Andersonville's long tradition of community-oriented, creative spaces.
The new Clark Street shop stocks an expanded range of products that customers had long been requesting, including well-known brands like Soola, Leuchtturm1917, and Kaweco, alongside new items sourced from around the world. Notably, Paper & Pencil sells nothing online — every purchase has to happen in person. That philosophy has turned the shop into something of a pilgrimage destination: McCall and Campbell say customers travel from across the country, and even internationally, to visit. A Block Club Chicago reporter noted at least six people peering through the shop's giant glass window or knocking on the door just during a weekday visit before it opened.
The community enthusiasm around Paper & Pencil also extends well beyond the storefront itself. In March 2026, the shop hosted Chicago Stationery Fest in Ravenswood, drawing nearly 2,000 attendees and more than 85 vendors — with tickets selling out in minutes. "We're really grateful for the community of stationery lovers here in Chicago who so warmly welcomed us into their lives over the past three years," co-owner Eric Campbell said at the Clark Street opening.
Paper & Pencil's expansion is the latest chapter in a stretch of new energy along the Clark Street corridor. Noble Thai announced plans earlier this year to open at 5721 N. Clark St., taking over the former Parson's Chicken & Fish space. And Replay Andersonville, the arcade sports bar and restaurant at 5238 N. Clark, continues to draw crowds with its kitchen led by Chef Bernardo Ibarra, formerly of Girl & the Goat.
Ready to see what all the fuss is about? Paper & Pencil's new home at 5208 N. Clark St. is open now. Whether you're a longtime stationery devotee or just stationery-curious, stop in and pick up a planner, a new pen, or a roll of washi tape — and see for yourself why this little shop has become one of Andersonville's most cherished success stories.
Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/04/13/paper-pencil-andersonvilles-hugely-popular-stationery-shop-moving-to-larger-storefront/
2. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/05/15/take-a-look-inside-paper-pencils-new-andersonville-stationery-store/
3. https://chicago.suntimes.com/small-business/2026/04/14/andersonville-stationery-paper-pencil-shop-moving-location-may
4. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/12/noble-thai-opening-in-andersonville-taking-over-former-parsons-building/
5. https://replayandersonville.com/