Merritt Wakefield’s personal stationery collection contains every card she has received since she was 8 years old. Her passion for the art of old-fashioned pen and paper was born early, and she dreamed of her own brick-and-mortar storefront. But it wasn’t until November 2015 that she committed to stop talking and start doing.
“I sat up in bed one night and decided I couldn’t wait a second longer,” Wakefield says. “So I got the laptop and started emailing designers about carrying a small assortment of their products.”
What started as a mildly successful pop-up shop in Kendall Whittier Square has evolved into the thriving business that is now Merriment Paper and Gifts, which opened in October at 3230 E. 15th St. The stationery shop offers top-of-the-line, custom-made wedding invitations and a variety of paper goods and several retail items that can’t be found anywhere else in Tulsa. Public Supply notebooks, Bespoke Letterpress double-sided giftwrap and Blackwing pencils — utilized by literary, musical and artistic greats like John Steinbeck, Leonard Bernstein and Looney Tunes creator Chuck Jones — are among the more luxurious products the store carries.
The cozy shop also boasts a heavily stocked wall of spirited greeting cards for all of life’s special and just-because occasions. Wakefield refers to it as the “card wall” and says it might just be her favorite store feature.
“I’m a thoughtful person, but I’m a procrastinator,” she says. “You’ll find me an hour before your birthday brunch trying to find the perfect card. I’ll spend an hour doing it, and I’ll be late. But I’ll have found the perfect card for you.”
Not unlike her card perusing, Wakefield continues to dedicate copious amounts of time to her growing business and plans to add products and incorporate craft workshops with local artists into the retail space. But her desire and passion remain focused on curating items that encourage a lost art.
“There’s something really special about handwriting,” Wakefield says. “It gives you a chance to reflect on what you’re grateful for, what season of life you’re in. And it’s a permanent reminder of that.”
Merriment Paper and Gifts
3230 E. 15th St. | shopmerriment.com | 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday.
Do a little window shopping now...
3230 E. 15th St. | shopmerriment.com | 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday.
Credits:
Michelle Pollard and @merrimenttulsa