Visit to a Stamp Store

Perfect Chris, thanks a bunch. Hope to find time to go there!

I noted the stamp dealer that was recommended at Peninsula Shopping, was just a wee 10 minutes walk from my hotel. Unfortunately the project at the yard did not allow me time to have a go at it, so I had to leave Singapore 'empty handed'  Thanks to Beryllium Guy and angore anyway 

Thanks Chris

Wonderful photos. I could easily spend a few days there. My version of heaven.

David

Glad to see you back on tsf.

Those pictures are so lovely that I cannot imagine the real place!

Do show us what you have bought from there.

In keeping with the theme of this thread, does anyone plan to attend London's big Stamp Show 2020? If we organize something here, maybe that could be a rendez-vous for some Stamp Forum members. A side visit to Stanley Gibbons (and the stamp shop across the street) would definitely be in order. I'll check out my options; here's to planning ahead for a fantastic meet-up!

So, here's my story about my last brick-and-mortar stamp visit, i.e. not counting the stamp dealer at the Aix-en-Provence market that Beryllium Guy re-introduced me to. I was attending a scientific conference in Princeton, NJ, this last summer. The conference ran from Monday to Friday but my return flight to France was only late Saturday afternoon, so I figured I would have an opportunity to do some stamp shopping on the Saturday morning. So I packed my USPS catalog in my luggage just in case. Once in Princeton, I found out the nearest stamp store was actually in Trenton, NJ, the Trenton Stamp & Coin Company, some 10 miles away. Only one thing to do, rent a car for Saturday and head down there!

I had the address but the place was still difficult to find, as it was tucked away in the back of a small shopping plaza. Took me four passes along the road to eventually find it. The store was filled from floor to ceiling with cardboard boxes full of stamps and coins, all labelled from all countries and themes imaginable. They sure have a great inventory. At the back I found the owner, Tom de Luca, and his assistant, Chuck. I had prepared a list of missing US issues I was looking for to fill holes in my collection (mostly things from the early 2000s after I had left the US to Germany and had not yet established a US stamp subscription). Chuck got onto that right away, letting me select stamps with or without selvage, giving advice on the best exemplars he could offer, explaining the fine differences between the various die-cuts of certain booklet issues, etc... Tom was quite talkative, and so was I, and I stayed for more than two hours, chatting about US philately, Tom showing me some more pricey early pieces which unfortunately my budget did not allow me to splurge on (during such trips, I pay cash only, not to let the wife track it back! And even then I don't go too crazy), the state of stamp collecting these days, the sort of collecting I was doing, etc... Of course, Tom was trying to gauge me as a client, and he did all right, as he convinced me to continue to order more US stamps I am missing by e-mail, which I have been doing, and I am rather pleased with the quality and speed of the responses. I walked away with some $125 worth of US stamps, a US-Canada 2013 catalog (the one I'm working through right now) and some paraphernalia. It was hard fitting everything back in my small suitcase! Tom has been running the shop for several decades, and only one other customer walked in while I was there, so I expect he needs the online business to meet his expenses. He is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to interact with. 

I didn't take any pictures, but I have the store's card:



I wholly recommend TSF members pay that store a visit when in the area! Tell him "Xavier from France"  sent you!

By the way, I will be in San Diego, CA, the week of January 28th, 2019. Can anybody recommend a good local store and/or some TSF members to meet?

I'm quite lucky i live in Ayrshire in Scotland which is near Glasgow and Glasgow stamp shop is there, nice big lazyboy chairs to sit and browse and really nice staff.

You guys could try what I do. I opened a separate bank account and attached it to PayPal. I also got a debit card for this account. Each month, I deposit the amount that I budget for my monthly stamp purchases. When the money is gone, my stamp purchases are finished for the month. I do find myself cheating occasionally if I come across something too good to pass up and there is not enough left in my account. Then I break out the credit cards. Although not perfect, my system helps me keep to my budget and not go overboard with my stamp purchases.

Hey...I only noticed after I had already posted the above, but this is my 50th post! Next stop...100!

That's a great article, Xavier (hrdoktorx ), thank you very much for sharing!

It's too bad that the young woman, who is the headliner in the write-up, wants no part of philatelic groups or societies because she doesn't want to be viewed by her peers as a geek in the company of people from her parents' generation. The other subjects are a bit more sympathetic in their outlooks.

Anyway, thanks for posting this link. I think it is a very well written and interesting article.

Oh dear I am getting old. I remember how it used to be when I started collecting again as an adult. 


Back in the 70's when I made my trips to London I could visit 6 or seven small stamp shops around the centre , Leicester Square, Haymarket, Cecil Court, Covent Garden, the Strand,  Vera Trinder for literature and now all these outlets except 2 have closed their doors.

I was the only footstep in Stanley Gibbons last month. It is a bright lit, intimidating,clean and tidy Mausoleum ! Whatever it is it is not a stamp shop as we knew them, no other customer in sight.

The Strand Stamps shop across the way was more promising but had nothing to offer in my interests ...………too much Star Wars and Dr Who memorabilia .

 
SIGH !

Good morning from Canada’s capital, Ottawa. 

First thing I did after breakfast was walk 1-½ blocks to Chris Green Stamps. Thanks to coastwatcher for pointing it out to me.


I didn't have that much time, so I checked his supplies...

I bought a Canada binder/slipcase similar to the American album I bought a little while ago, & a magnifying glass.

Then I spent some time in his stamp room.


I bought some Iceland stamps & left it at that. I want to sightsee, take pictures, eat eat eat for the ½ marathon tomorrow. All indications point to a wet walk!

Had fun there, and he does mail orders too! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

EDIT:
A quick search on the web led me to his site. I was in a rush & didn't have much time, but it looked like this was a high end shop with a lot of pricey items. I thought it wouldn't hurt to take a look and see anyway, since he was so close to the B&B. My initial impressions were completely wrong. This is a stamp store with loads of stamps in the red boxes. 

One thing you will not find there are Canada Post Year Packs. A lady popped in looking for a few packs. The proprietor stated that those things just do not sell. He missed 1 sale there!

I'm heading back there in November & will have a day set aside to browse and purchase, like another Canada binder.

Oh I miss the visits to the brick and mortar stores, too.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. We lived about 10 blocks from the downtown area which included the first mall in the country, a library and, best of all, a stamp shop. I remember being in 5th and 6th grade riding my bike to the stamp store and spending some of my paper route money on my beginners USA collection. Sigh, happy times!

    I used to buy bags of Dennison hinges at the Woolworths in the picture below. The stamp shop was a block south of there, two doors from the State theatre. 

This pic is from that era, mid 1960s. 

Londonbus1 , Every time I hear about a brick and mortar stamp shop closing, I feel sad, no matter where it’s located.