We were visiting Vienna for our #pckwalk in the Museumsquartier and of course we took the opportunity to visit the Herzilein Papeterie to talk to the managing director Sonja.
Where exactly are your stores located? What's it like there?
We have two locations in Vienna's city center - one in Wollzeile, a pretty little shopping street, and the other: Am Hof, near the Schottenkirche and surrounded by several wonderful palaces. Both stores are housed in rustically furnished shops with beautiful and well-preserved furnishings from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The special retro look of the furniture creates a very special atmosphere and you feel as if you have been transported to another time - old Vienna - as soon as you enter. We try to underline this feeling of the special and somehow timeless atmosphere with our product selection and product arrangement. While we keep the store in Wollzeile in brown and white tones, we like to bring a little more color into play at Am Hof.
What is the basic concept of your store? And what is special about you?
Herzilein-Papeterie is a modern, reduced concept store for paper and leather goods, packaging, greeting cards and gifts. An insider tip for all those who are looking for something special with attention to detail. Our concept follows the idea of supporting local artists and manufacturers, as well as bringing small, international and sustainable manufacturers with wonderful products from all over the world to people. Away from the mainstream of mass products, towards valued handcraft at fair prices. All of our products are carefully selected by us and mostly produced and processed in Vienna. What is special about us is the carefully curated product selection, but also the fact that we are involved in the production process ourselves. We stroll through flea markets and antique shops to discover books, old photographs and other treasures, for example, which we then have processed locally by hand. We also offer regional artists and illustrators the opportunity to create something together with us and we even have our own calligrapher, who gives most of our products that certain something and uniqueness. We also offer the option of designing many of our products individually, according to customer wishes. Our paper is hand-made in a factory in Nepal and processed here in Vienna. The fact that almost every one of our products is unique naturally sets us apart from other stationery stores. But in order to meet all wishes, we also carry some of the well-known design brands.
How do you think you fit in with Pickmotion? How did you find out about Pickmotion and which products do you like best?
Pickmotion fits so well into our concept because it has a clear, consistent and unmistakable line. The beautiful photos with modern, minimalist imagery are a good addition to our cards, which focus more on sayings, texts and illustrations. We first became aware of Pickmotion a few years ago at one of the first trade fairs that Pickmotion attended. It was clear to us: "We have to have them!". Even then, as now, we like the postcards the best.
How do you use the advantages of brick-and-mortar retail? How do you differentiate yourself from other stores and/or online shops?
Our focus is on stationary retail because the special atmosphere in the shops cannot be felt, experienced and picked up via an online shop. We love dealing with and communicating directly with our customers because we can respond to customers and their wishes in a conversation - find out what they are really looking for and what ideas and wishes they have for the product they are looking for. An online shop cannot offer such a shopping experience and customer-oriented, personal service. Compared to other shops, we stand out with our special product selection, sustainable, local production and the involvement of artists. We want to offer every customer a very special, unique shopping experience.
So if you're in Vienna soon, don't miss the opportunity to visit Herzilein Papeterie to bring home a very personal and unique gift for your loved ones or for yourself! It's worth stopping by and having a little chat - but it's even more worthwhile to take home something special!
Wollzeile 18 and Am Hof 5
1010 Vienna
