Colourbox

For the boyf’s birthday last year, I decided to make him a robot card. Like, a proper robot card. A 10inch high, 3D robot with a swing-​open tummy that opened to reveal another, tiny 3D robot. It took me 5 days, and £5 spent in Colourbox, and I created the best birthday card everrrrrrr. Thanks to Coulourbox, and my imagination.
The stationery section is good: you’ll find an array of pens both ballpoint and arty, and a lot of papers and cards and whatnot. They also stock silver craft spray paint, which is useful when you’re making a robot.
This wee stationery shop is no Paperchase, but it’s a dead cert for most mainstream magazines and newspapers, and the boyf was amused once to see a fishing magazine. He’s easily amused, hence his love of the robot card.
As well as stationery, you can pick up kid stuff such as colouring books and magic sets, which are great as last-​minute gifts for small people, or easily amused people (the boyf).
Once, I offended the shopkeeper. Lady Gaga’s ‘Just Dance’ was playing, and this exchange took place:
Me: Ugh, this song again. I bet you gewt sick of listening to the radio all day!
He: Actually, this is my iPod playlist.
Me: Oh (*dies of embarrassment*)
Well, never mind, eh. He is a lovely man, and I’m sure he won’t hold it against me…

Colourbox UK probably my favourite shop in Withington, discounting the ones selling food and drink.
Its basically a newsagents and stationer, but its card collection is a good as Clinton’s so we might as well whack that in there as well. They also have a photocopier that’s cheap to use so that goes onto the list too.
The piece de resistance though, is the collection of classic books. They specialize in those Wordsworth Classics books, the blue ones that are £2 each. These are not the same as the horrible green Penguin ones that are also £2.
Most Waterstones will have a few of these on offer, but they probably don’t have many because it would stop people paying the £10 that these books cost in a different edition. Don’t get me wrong, these editions are nowhere near as good as the Oxford World Classics or New Penguin ones, but for £2 you can get a classic, and if you’re not studying literature or referencing it, this will do just fine.
Here at Colourbox they have a really good selection of them, with everything from Jane Austen through Oscar Wilde and Thomas Hardy to Dickens and Gissing. If you want a great read for £2, then Colourbox is the place for you.
Plus the man there is really nice. I wish he was my uncle (on my dads side).

Stationary seeking is a sad part of my life as a teacher, and I’m constantly on the lookout for classroom resources (and yes, it is all out of my own pocket-​poor me). So, having this store so local to me is a bit of a God-​send. It’s got all manner of your usual stationary items, but also has some specialist art materials, office supplies and educational books.
Great if you’re searching for something that your average supermarket wouldn’t stock, but don’t fancy trekking to the out of town office supply superstores.
Staff are experts too, not your usual clueless chain store teenage employee! They certainly know their parchmant paper from their sugar paper.