1912 Amax Stationery Metrotown

They have great stock and friendly staff! So many cute things in there. I had to leave a review after I messaged their instagram about stock at midnight expecting an answer some time tomorrow and got a response 10 minutes later, crazy stuff

Love this place! One of the few shops in the lower mainland where you can get hobonichi and midori. Plus they have lots of cute pens, stamps and stickers for all of us stationery-obsessed!

Alice was really nice! Helped me choose the right fountain pen, patiently answered all my questions and was overall very accommodating in everything!

Hopefully my partner likes the gift, thanks Alice!

They carry really great and a wide variety of stationery. Lots of really good japanese brand. They are also quick to reply when you email them. A few times they were able to send over a few products from kerrisdale to metrotown for me to pick up in just a few days. Love shopping there.

Current Experience - October 27, 2023

WILL SHOP HERE FIRST BEFORE ANYWHERE ELSE NOW <3

1912 Amax Stationery is OFFICIALLY MY GO-TO STATIONERY SHOP FOR EVERYTHING BEFORE I LOOK ELSEWHERE (such as Yoseka, Baum-kuchen, or Paper Plus Cloth. I hardly even bother looking at Buchan's in Kerrisdale anymore now). This store carries all the basics/necessities for those just introducing themselves to Japanese stationery, as well as limited edition items for the annoying nerds like myself who are waaaaay too specific with what they are looking for.

I also find that they will carry new items BEFORE places like Yoseka or Jetpens. I was in disbelief when I saw the 2024 Midori Hibino and Hobonichi's latest pen case a few weeks before any of the top US stores announced them on their site (not sure if there is a time delay with in-store versus online for them, but regardless it just means I no longer have to pay stupid expensive USD shipping or check every hour for its arrival).

The customer service is still up and down, but the store is located inside a mall of all places, and as a previous teenager has worked in one, or anyone who has worked customer service in general --we all know how terrible it is. Now, if I experience anyone snapping at me for nothing, it just becomes an exercise in not allowing it to trigger anxiety or panic attacks (just a reminder for any other socially anxious people, or previous agoraphobes like myself).

Side Note:
I have been there quite often for the past month as I am putting together several specialty curated stationery care packages, and I am VERY specific with what I want. I try my best not to be insufferable with my questions (a mix of adhd and being a visual artist that specifically works in oils and coloured pencils, I naturally hyper focus on materials and their qualities), but if I'm unable to answer something on my own, there has been one specific employee with glasses and long hair that, coincidentally, is always working when I'm in the store and always ends up helping me. She's super kind and warm, and if she isn't able to answer right off the bat, she tries her best to find other ways to answer it. This usually ends up with both of us trying to solve my stupid question together. This employee is absolutely wonderful, and has overall just improved my experience shopping at 1912 Amax Stationery :)

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Previous experience_____
I absolutely love Japanese stationery and usually love shopping here, but my last trip was a bit unpleasant and now I’m uncomfortable with going back. I was trying to ask an employee, who was an older woman, if she knew if the store planned on getting more Midori notebooks. She snapped at me asking if I was looking for pens, pencils, what, then said notebooks are over there and went right back to the shelf. The mall was pretty busy that day so I understand if she was stressed, but I also struggle with social anxiety and all I did was ask a question, so it sucks she decided to take out her stress on me. I’ll go in if the younger girls are there because they are always very sweet and friendly with me and don’t get mad when I ask questions, but if I see the older woman I won’t go in.

I enjoy this place because it offers cute selection of stationery items. I love plus pens 3000, which are exclusively available here. Although I could purchase them from Amazon, I prefer to support small businesses like Amax.

Beautiful and cute stationaries! You can get all your artsy fartsy stuff here!

*THE* place for cute stationary. Be prepared to pay a lot though.
I'd consider myself an "overpriced fancy pen enthusiast" and they have a full, locked case of ridiculously priced, fancy pens. Perfect.

Everything in the store are cute. The staff are friendly and polite. Will definitely visit again.

Great little stationery store in Vancouver, offering tons of stationery selections. I found pens, highlighters, and pencil case that I have not been able to find any where in Vancouver. Definitely recommend these guys to any stationery lovers or people looking for unique import items from Japan.

They have a lot of great japanese/korean stationary products in stock that are hard to find anywhere else. The store is quite small but well organized and their prices are fair/cheap too. If you're looking for nice portable notebooks I would recommend the Kokuyo smart ring binder :)

They have a lot of stationary that isn't usually found in Canada. They have a lot of adorable pens and nice quality binder for example the Campus brand. They also sell the zebra mildliner which are highlighter that come in colour other then the typical neon yellow or orange.

Very kind staff and has huge variety

I am happy to find sooo many gel pens here. And I can buy them individually too.

awesome store, friendly staff, love it.

Lots of selection and good quality pens.

Lots of high quality stationary from Japan that you can't find anywhere else.

Great selection of pigma micron pens

I love this place. There are lots of cute options :)

Great pen store!