The Regional Assembly of Text

I loved their letter writing club! First Thursday of every month. Two seatings. I went to the 7:00-8:15pm and got in line at around 6:20pm to ensure a spot. A line forms quick so be sure to get there early, or you can grab a ticket for the next seating. The staff are so nice in explaining how to use the typewriter. There is scrap paper, letterhead paper and even envelopes. There’s even tea! How wonderful.

Regional Assembly of Text is a fantastic local gem in Vancouver. They have an amazing selection of stationery, greeting cards, and fun, unique gifts. If you’re looking for the perfect card or something a little quirky to brighten someone’s day, definitely check it out!

The cutest place in the area! Surprisingly nobody ever talk about this place. Highly underrated! They have this cute pin making activity too. Have to visit if you're in the area!

Head over heels for the aesthetic of this shop, their little zine lending library and the cute paper goods!! So much was made there in their store front and it’s such unique selections.

Visiting friends in the area and wandered into this creative little shop. If you love sending letters or notes, writing, sketching, anything creative, you will love the shop. My favorite was their little nook of self-published books.

This is such a beautiful store, stocked with lots of beautiful things, from paper products to pens, cards of all sorts and lapel buttons, etc. It's very quaint and feels so good to be inside and just browse. But yes, we bought a few things on top of the unique card (queer) we were looking for. We'll definitely visit again.

The cutest stationary store in Vancouver, periodt. They have these suuuuper cute imported Japanese pencils. There’s a plethora of cute lil books on travel, having fun, exploring, and it goes without saying: a card or postcard for every occasion and person. I had to hold myself back from buying literally everything in sight it was so adorable.

Very cute stationery store with notebooks, pens, and other paper products. I really love the display of typewriters and the little library to browse of miscellaneous books including self published zines. I have bought a handful of supplies here. The only warning I have is it's a dangerous store to go in without a plan! I often leave with a few items I hadn't intended on buying, but still find a reason to use. Thanks!

What a cute shop! This is a bit of a belated post, as we visited back in August. BUT, I wanted to delay the review because we ended up using one of their fun services, and I wanted to make sure we received the product in the end. So, hubby and I were casually walking down this street to window-shop, and noticed this shop (there's also a chance that hubby notated this shop down in his notes because they sell stationery, and we love stationery, sooo, there's that possibility). Walked in, was warmly greeted, and we perused what they had. Lots of creative juices flowing in there and great inspiration for one to take some of their stuff to create your own artistic visions. The main item that we did with them was to send a postcard back to ourselves, but sort of by "telegraph" (the postal service). We actually wrote out the postcard to our future selves, and they typed it out on a real typewriter, pasted it nicely onto the wooden postcard, and shipped it out to us internationally. We got it around two weeks later (Vancouver to California), and it was packaged in a nice padded brown envelope so it wasn't damaged along the way. It's now sitting on one of our travel/memento shelves! Would love to make another visit whenever we come back to Vancouver. Seriously, whenever there's a fun or unique service/experience, it's so nice to try it out; it's a gift for your future selves!

What a fun place for a pen & paper lover! Enjoyed looking at all their pretty products, and picking out treats!

You see those relic things in the window? Typewriters. Go in, ask. The nice lady will show you how to use one. And I think you can even make buttons or something equally retro and hipster, and cool. They love paper, and OMG. Wait for it!!! You waiting.... pencils. Oh. shurrrr... you say. Hyperventilate over a pencil? Naw...not crazy. You have not lived until you've rocked a Palomino Blackwing. Splurge and buy a single one. I guarantee you will be back. I also loved the greeting cards. Unique. Reasonably priced. And have a gander (yes, retro word) at the zine room. Cool place.

This has to be one of the coolest little print shops in Vancouver. Sure there are others but this one takes the cake. It might look small from the outside but don't let that deceive you. Their selection of hand printed cards takes up a nice little chunk of space on the wall. You can buy things for every occasion and even cards printed for tourists such as myself. Singles, multipacks and they even have small items like printed books. I have to admit that I spent a little too much time trying to find the perfect card to send to my friends in the states. I guess I'm a sucker for send old fashioned letters... The woman who helped me was very courteous and I noticed that behind her were filing cabinets full of what I assumed to be different fonts. You don't see collections of metal letters anymore. I may have suggested this place to a few of my friends back home who will be visiting B.C. Prices were very reasonable! Less than I was expecting to be honest.

I can't believe I didn't realize that the original was right here in Vancouver! The Victoria location is one of my favourite parts of visiting the island but now I don't need to save up all my letter writing for my next visit. There is lots to look at and so many cool gift and letter ideas at this cute little shop but my favourite part of it is the typewriter station stocked with all sorts of stationery for you to type your heart out. I recommend visiting and writing some letters to loved ones. Who doesn't live recieving an old school letter? And it's so much fun to sit and type away. I absolutely must recommend this place to everyone. Also there is a letter writing night on the first Thursday of every month that is free and included tea and cookies, great time to come out and give it a try!

This is an adorable independent store on Main Street, they specialize in paper and stationary goods. There's a nostalgic feel to the products they offer, with a focus on letter writing and note-taking, so it only makes sense that typewriters adorn the stores interior. The owners design greeting cards of all kinds of varieties and there's so many cute trinkets to check out. My favourite is a little to-do notepad that features an image of a red ribbon tied to a finger. I've bought this notepad multiple times for work. They have alphabet stamps, magnets, puzzles and all kinds of bound books. I actually love sending letters to people so often times I'll pick up a couple pieces of coloured paper and envelopes and self-designed postcards. Truly a unique business on Main Street, I think they've been there for around 20 years? Which is incredible and speaks to their clientele's loyalty. Absolutely worth a visit when you're in the neighbourhood.

Wow! I LOVE The Regional Assembly of Text. If you are into zines, letter press, shopping local and diy - this is your stop. If you are familiar with Portland, Oregon's IPRC (Independent Publishing Resource Center) - then think of RAoT as what the IPRC gift shop might look like, if they had one! Kudos for the small zine library they have in-store. I love that RAoT makes tiny, independent works available for public viewing. You can have tees silk screened here and buttons made (my kids designed buttons while I looked around and the counterperson punched them out at the end of our visit, $2 CAD each - the kids loved it). There's access to classes & it's a great resource for local DIY happenings. The only zines for sale are by the owners, and they're great. You can also purchase a six month zine subscription - smart AND cool. A decent selection of journals, a small selection of cards and great wrapping paper, pin sets, some tee shirts & patches pretty much round out the selection. The Regional Assembly of Text is inspiring for those who create & those who love the vision of small, local businesses thriving over chain stores. GO!

A gem of a find thanks to Yelp! My first trip there was for the letter writing club. I'd say there were more than a dozen typewriters set up but the number of people there far exceeded that. Thankfully, I was one of the first people there so I was able to get in and out of there fairly quickly. (The store closes beforehand to set up and stuff) The time I went, it was mostly girlfriends together -- and little kids! I loved that. They also have tea and cookies, which is very nice. One thing I'd wish they would do is have stamps available for purchase. It's kind of a hassle to get your letter all typed up and ready to mail ... and then have to wait until the next day to actually do it. I went back again the other day to get postcards and a cute wedding card. I just love the vibe here, and the lowercase reading room is super cute.

You know how sometimes you come into a place and then you rub your eyes because you can't believe the magic that is before you? Okay, so maybe I'm being ab it dramatic but you get the picture. I love this place. They have the greatest selection of cards and post cards and many of them have been framed on my walls. (example is photo 9: http://typearamblings.blogspot.com/p/my-home.html) Designs are quirky, whimsical, and oh so personal and fun. The lowercase reading room makes me feel like Alice in Wonderland without the falling and the clocks... okay, maybe it was a bad analogy. This place reminds people how special it is to write something to someone, take the time to choose the perfect card, and anticipate the future response to the lovely note. It's a bit romantic, no?

Being a lover of words and a writer when it pleases me, (or pays the bills and if I'm lucky, both!) I simply adore The Regional Assembly of Text for being everything that all the other stationary shops are not; that being, quirky, uninhibited and just plain fun! Rebecca Dolan and Brandy Fedoruk are the proprietors of this fine literary wonder and they are also relatively recent graduates of The Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. The store sells lovely greeting cards, journals, notebooks, stationary, decor including pillows and adorable wooden boxes to store things in, along with t-shirts, hoodies and buttons. The former of which you can join a club for, The One Button a Month Club, which will mail you or a recipient one button a month for 12 months. There is also a 'One Little Book a Month Club', with the same idea, but instead of buttons you receive a tiny book with interesting and oft-useful facts and stories. The ladies turned an old storage closet into The Lowercase Reading Room, where you can chill and read all sorts of handmade books by local authors, my current favourite is the Mummy series, citing tales of a Mummy's everyday challenges in the real-world. You can have t-shirts customized with stamps and/or lettering of your choosing if you are looking for something truly unique or you can come by the shop every first Thursday of the month for the Letting Writing Club, where they set you up with cookies, tea and a typewriter so you can feel what it was like before computers enveloped our world. I cannot wait to go!

Strange that as a proposed business concept, it sounds a little hairy but once The Regional Assembly of Text opened, there was a resounding cheer! Quirky, strange, out of place... it fit so well with the whole Main Street aesthetic and gave people what they needed and didn't know they wanted. People come here clamouring for the odd and exclusive services and retail that only they provide. Book readings, button makers, handmade journals, typewriters, reading rooms...a letter writing club? Passersby glance prolongingly at the shop, knowing that they'll be back. It appeals to your inner wordsmith, so long ago repressed and unappreciated by a society that reveres the sociable, the savvy, the more left-brain oriented. Come here for an authentic retail experience. They sell cards, gifts, books, toys, paraphernalia.., everything is made here with love.. for the word.

Forget Papyrus, folks, let's support a local store right in Riley Park. While they won't have the breadth, you will be able to find a greeting card. Nicely wrapped too, for average $5. Fun to hear they have a monthly letter writing session, just drop in and write to someone... a dying craft in this day and age. Good place to bring kids too, a few items. Wooden letter stamps too, and even the ink pad is just $7. nice lady owner.

I love how they are tying to bring back to feel of typing letters again. Everyone in the shop are super helpful and very nice. They have many cute and unique cards made right on the shop premises and you can also make your own as well! The prices for their items is very fair too, I can't wait to return back for a letter writing club session.

I wish I lived in Vancouver so that I could come here all the time! It is so cool! I biked to the Regional Assembly of Text with a friend and she showed me around. They have all kinds of neat hand-designed cards to buy, along with zines, typewriters, and other quirky little creations. Their reading nook is also amazing! I wish I lived nearby. Sigh. Well, if you're ever in the area and are interested in cool, cute, interesting little stationary creations... please, stop in for a bit!

Regional Assembly of Text has been in my bookmarks forever. That in mind, I braced myself for being a little underwhelmed. Underwhelmed? Yes. You see, if you have been walking up and down Main Street with your husband looking for a place to eat and you've just dragged him into a store on main that his whole being rejects ("honey, what's with all the typewriters?" To the clerk: "do you have a {practical} number stamp for phone numbers?"), it's a little hard to appreciate it all. Even the lowercase bookshelf! Even the tiny book club! I do love stationary, so I know I will be back. Perhaps on a rainy, cloudy fall day...

Such a cute store with variety of cards and postcards, local and international. They have cute old typewriters available to make your own cards and buttons. They also have a ton of stamps and ink pads for you to use and buy. The prices are pretty decent. I got 6 unique postcards for $10.

My service from the short haired lady was so awful and rude I did not want to purchase anything. I asked a simple question "if there were any other colors of this pen" because i love them and only can buy it in steveston. But she snapped back at me, as if i was not speaking english and in the most condescending way. I have no accent at all. I decided not to purchase the pens and gifts for my sister. I will not return to an establishment that clearly serves only certain types of people. It is too bad, since I like their products. But i would rather travel to Steveston and for my stationary and gifts where the customers are treated with respect.

Great selection of envelopes, paper, pens and pencils and typewriters. You can make a design and they will make your own personal button.

This year I got an e-reader for my birthday. I freaking love that gadget. I look for excuses to read; I'll even take the bus. But in the Regional Assembly of Text, I was reminded of how much I still love paper and print, especially little handmade books. The lowercase reading room is the sweetest thing I've ever encountered in a retail store - about five shelves of hand-crafted books and a cozy seat for cuddling up and reading a few. You can also join their Little Book club and have a new little book sent to you each month ($60/yr). The whole store is just so well turned out and clever, from the vintage typewriters to the crafty (as in creative and making stuff) owners to the old-timey music playing (at least when I visited). I love that they sell both ready-made things, like cards and books, and supplies, like stamp sets (vintage office set is one my list now) and stationery sets that are actually cool. I want to write a letter to someone.

Is there someone with a type fetish in your life? Maybe they have a typewriter. Maybe they have a few. Maybe you know someone who likes antique maps, or whimsically reproduced technical illustrations, or hand-screening, or buttons. Maybe they even have a thing for small-format self-published books or published a zine back in the day. Maybe that person is even you. If that's the case, you owe it to yourself to run -- don't walk -- to the Regional Assembly of Text on Main Street in Riley Park. The Assembly, run by a couple of Emily Carr grads, feels very nostalgic about the typewriter and (type- or hand-)written letter and hopes you do, too. It's chock-full of cards and stationary (many of them typewriter-inspired). They'll also hand-screen images out of their sample book onto T-shirts or hoodies for you in the store. They have some insidery Vancouver-themed gift sets that I'm totally buying for anyone I know who moves up here. Do note that it's a gift shop, not a type shop (don't expect to find typewriter ribbons, for instance), and it's targeted towards typewriter enthusiasts more than font admirers (no paeans to Helvetica here). Maybe the thing I like most about the Assembly is the reading room. They've compiled a bunch of zines and (mostly) small-format self-published books in a free-to-visit closet off the side of the store, and they're perfectly happy to let you hang around and browse for a couple hours. They also have a free "letter-writing club" that meets on the first Thursday (I think!) of every month, where you can come in and type out letters on the typewriters sprinkled around the store. How interactive! The Assembly is adorable and I love it forever and ever. I visited before I yelped, and I'm a little sad to realize that everyone else in town already knew about it, but I'm happy to be in on the news!

I love sending cards. Once I sent a girl a thank you note for letting me borrow her video camera. Weirded out, she told me I went overboard with gratitude. Most people, however, are thrilled to receive snail mail, and I get high off pleasing people with greetings of the non bill or credit card offer variety. But I am picky about the items I send traveling in USPS' trucks. My cards have to be 1. quirky 2. oddly pretty 3. witty or --preferably-- 4. all of the above. Shops like the Regional Assembly of Text have it right. A thick piece of card stock with a castle screened on front and a mountain behind it proclaiming "Congratulations on your new home." So my friend bought an in-town loft, but she'll decorate it as majestically as a castle and this is the whimsy I'm talking about. Or two t-rexes gazing at each other with a heart conversation bubble between them that says "You & Me." Or a snow-capped mountain scene with a pond and "Thank You" reflected in the water. That's my kind of quirk.

Type, text, typewriters, rubber stamps, buttons, and handmade cards. And a Letter Writing Club. And the Lowercase Reading Room, a cozy little room with seats for 2, with numerous mini magazines and letters for people to read. Make your own button, type your own letter.... This place is amazing. I'm going to write a letter now.

RAoT is the pusher for all of us typography junkies out there who start tweaking when we hear terms such as kerning, leading, or ligature. There are very few stores out there that will make me leave my cozy, West End bubble but the RAoT is one of them. I will gladly make the trek up to Main street any day just for a single birthday card or button. The cards, buttons, note books and other printed items are outstanding both for their retro-chic aesthetics and anti-Hallmark originality. T-shirts, hoodies, bags, and yes even underwear are some of the other great items available. But for some reason the t-shirt I've been lusting over has been sold-out for some time now, which means either I'm not that original in my t-shirt selections or they aren't the quickest on restocking some of their supplies. My girlfriend likes going there just to view their not-for-sale creations. One day we'll do some custom buttons and printing. I would have given them 5 stars but I have to agree with a few of the other reviews about the attitude of the staff. While I haven't had a truly negative experience like some of the other reviewers, I have noticed a bit of a "hipper than thou" vibe from some of the people behind the counter. Don't get me wrong, it isn't enough to keep me from coming back to the RAoT but it is something that they could probably work on.

You can rent a beautiful vintage typewriter for $20. *drops microphone - walks off stage* If I were a one liner review sort of gal, that would sum up my deep love of this little nook, but let's be honest, the folks that love this store aren't "one line" sort of people, so allow me to elaborate: I started to incorporate a letter writing booth into some of the events I throw. Why? Because it's charming as %&$# - who doesn't love snail mail? Think about it, has there ever been a time when receiving something other then a bill WASN'T pleasant? Dying art my butt - there is a huge contingent of people who still put weight in the good ol' postal service and this store is right up their alley. How does one up the charm on something already inherently charming? They write said snail mail on a 1940's Remington. Achievement unlocked - Vintage Badass. This went over so well at the events, that i've taken to keeping the typewriter an extra day to writing both my thank you notes and quick letters to grandma . Sure, I mess up and sometimes the keys are sticky, but again - charm outweighs all here. Plus, they Instagram like wow... you can pretend that's not important, but we know better. Bonus badass points? The first time I rented, I lost a piece of the typewriter in my car post event. I was dying of guilt - but instead of having me throw down a HUGE amount to order a replacement piece or demanding my first born child for them to buy an entirely new typewriter - they let me take my time and scour eBay for the piece. Thankfully I found it wedged under my car seat but big love to this spot for not taking the opportunity to empty my pockets, though they had EVERY right to. So yeah - love. Beyond typewriters, they carry cute stationary, stamps, buttons & giftables. They have a letter writing club onsite that meets once a week and their window display is always impeccable. Go here, buy yourself some fancy paper, throw down $20 to take home a typewriter and write a letter to your mother... that extra time and moolah will return to you in good karma. Bonus? Talk like a 1940's reporter for the rest of the day... it'll just add to the awesome - I promise.

This is my favourite store in all of Vancouver. I think this is the first place I visited after moving here, after hearing my ex who was from Vancouver raving about how much I'd love this place. It's true! I do! As a budding librarian, I find the dictionary t-shirts super adorable. As a font nerd, I love their alphabet magnets. As a vintage typewriter enthusiast, well, I love everything here! Bonus points for the Lowercase Reading Room, a tiny room with a cushy bench seat and a billion little zines for customers to read. They do a letter-writing club once a month, and last time I went I brought the boy who I was kinda-maybe-sorta interested in. We wrote each other letters. "To: E, across the table, Regional Assembly of Text, Vancouver, BC. I think you are pretty fucking amazing. Just FYI. --E" Yeah, I'll probably always have fond memories now. But totally deserved!

While the contents of the store are interesting, the "hipper than thou" attitude I have received on both shopping occasions is a bit abrasive. Great idea for a store, slight adjustment in attitude required.

Can I give this place twenty-hundred-thousand stars? This place is the kinda place I dream about someday owning and running. Only I'd suck cuz I'd be mean to all the people who'd come in and mess up *my* precious stationery. So I stay put in my desk job. Ok, so real life. This place is amazing. You can't help but be hip in there. Seriously! If you were to fall down in this store, you'd get up hipper, covered in cool buttons, and probably owning a DIY hoody that you just put together in the store. The zine library is sweet and it took all my will power to forcibly remove myself from it (ok, ok, my hunny had to sternly remind me that we had to leave the country). There's all sorts of delish notebooks, boxes, zines, buttons, oh my! You can make a hoody! You can make a button! Sure, some of the stuff wasn't cheap, but the button my hunny made for me on the sly was like $2 (and that's Canadian bucks too!). And it's the wittiest funniest button I own (and I own a lotta buttons). You can join their mail club, their button club, their zine club. The stuff in their shop made me ooze with jittery inspiration and creativity (no, it wasn't pretty). Sigh. I miss them already. Mebbe I'll send them something via post.

It looks like I'm not the only one, but I LOVE this shop. I love the idea of it. I love the execution of it. I love their merchandise. I'm one of those people that gets excited about receiving letters in the mail, and I love giving and receiving unique, thoughtful greeting cards. Well, I now have a go-to place to buy all of my writing essentials. I love the aesthetic of the products and even the lay-out of the shop. In fact, ever since I saw some terrific birthday party invitations here last weekend, my best friend and I have decided to plan a joint birthday party this year. Yes, we're doing it simply so that we can send out the invitations (and our birthdays are 6 days apart). I noticed that they have a letter writing club on the first Thursday of every month. I will definitely be going by to check out one of those events. This is a unique shop that I encourage all writing and stationery enthusiasts to check out. There is just no other place quite like it.

I'm so glad a store like this exists in my city. It's quirky and cute and a splurge is easily within reach, with cards, buttons, and trinkets often under $3. The American Apparel t-shirts with fun (hipster) designs are always tempting, but my favourite item is their heavy Canadian themed wrapping paper. It would make a lovely poster all by itself, but elevates any gift from ho-hum to something a bit more thoughtful.

I came to make some buttons and ended up spending more than an hour in this fabulous store. Decorated with old lockers, typewriters and pegboard bookshelves bathed in a pastel aqua hue, I was transported back to a time in my life when I used to know how to type and spell without spellcheck. Cards, buttons, gift wrap, stamps, journals, t-shirts, little books, stationery and my personal favourite, letters of the alphabet fill the space. I spent 5 minutes wracking my brain trying to think of a small child I could buy the gorgeous art-quality alphabet wall letter cards for. Now if they would only replenish their "C" supply!

Everything about The Regional Assembly of Text is excellent. There are typewriters everywhere, and little gems to look at on every surface. It's hard not to walk out with one of every word-emblazoned thing. Here are some highlights of my purchases over the years: -cute book bag/tote with a typewriter printed on it -t-shirt printed with a page from the dictionary -alphabet stamp set -many different cardboard giftboxes decorated with ornate letters of the alphabet -kitten button set Also, The Lower Case Gallery is amazing, with all the tiny books and chapbooks and letters and general wonderfulness of the written word. And you can make your own buttons with a button maker. And there are wooden pencil boxes with bicycles and lots of things with bears and oh my. And also there are so many fantastic, interesting, non-Hallmark cards. On my most recent trip I picked up cards for the next three months worth of birthdays, weddings and general greetings. My Wills and Kate stamp book is going to get a work out mailing all these puppies out into the world.

Enter this haven of letters, words, and print to discover the quirkiness that makes Main Street such a delight. The zine library here houses miniature shelves of shrunken books filled with original words and pictures. There's even a tiny zine made from metal. If reading with a magnifying glass isn't your thing, check out a full alphabet of letters for customizing pillows, shirts, or any thing cloth I suppose. With the filing cabinets behind the counter, this store is for anyone whoever a.) played "office" as a child, or b.) loves things to coordinate in muted and original colors. But the beauty of the store is not just for looking at, it's for creating in: a comfy button-making area can be found near the front and great regular workshops include a letter writing club. Another option is to pick up one of the chuckle-worthy form letters for all manner of predicaments from apologizing to breakups.

I just want to cry cuz this awesome place makes me wanna go creative nutso!!! And I did! I put a stamp on my chest like a necklace and it was sooo fun! I'd love to try the 'chain letter package' sometime I ran home to type on my glass key black typewriter....Oooh I love it!

How is it that a grown woman like myself can justify spending money on pin buttons? Because they say cute things like "dog person, one year wiser, I'm loved..." in modern and hip fonts and cool colors. And yes, I will rock every single one of these buttons around town. Like everyone else, I love this place. It is truly unique and a retail gem. There is so much to see, touch, and read.

Amazing! What an incredibly cool idea for a store, and I'm so glad that they are bringing in enough people to keep the doors open. The owners are here all the time- they met while attending Emily Carr- and came up with this brainchild. I LOVE this place. The stationary and cards are unique and well designed. But perhaps the coolest thing is the letter writing club that meets the first Thursday night of every month. That is truly an awesome idea. I haven't made it yet, but I'm hoping in February to be there!

I give RAoT five stars without hesitation. In fact, I'm embarrassed it's taken me so long to review it as it is easily my favourite store in Vancouver, I know, bold statment. It's humble beginnings come from the creativity and craftiness of two awesome girls of school, Brandy and Rebecca. Their monthly little book club and mini gallery is evidence in itself of how awesome this little nook in the wall is. The minimalist yet extremely delightful decor (typewriters, handmade EVERYTHING from cards,stationary, t-shirts, handprinted boxes with personalized initials) speak to the care put into each little thing in this place. Much like owner a small piece of treasure or keepsake, the RAoT comes ideally at a time when artisan/hipster culture reaches its height. Their monthly letter writing club is a treat and always totally packed. Typewriters, tea and beautiful papery are given out free for your writing pleasure. You can also hand make your own buttons here if don't have the quantity needed for mass production. Based on the previous reviews, I don't think one needs much convincing to at least check the place out. I do think that the less than 5 star reviews (extremely few though they may be) may be on account on the shyness of the staff and not unwarrented pretention. For the many years I've been loyally attending RAoT I've never been treated with anything less than perfect friendliness and respect.

While the name may be slightly intimidating, the store is anything but. Main Street's Regional Assembly of Text is a celebration of the printed word -- a unique, text-themed gift shop where you can get creative with wordy paraphernalia like stationery, clothing, glassware, etc., much of which is handmade, totally one-of-a-kind, and easy to customize. Have a t-shirt stamped with a design of your choosing, or similarly personalize some glassware with a name or initial. The beautiful stationery sets all come with handmade envelopes, while each unique journal is made from various recycled materials, creating a colourful mixture of paper and designs. The Assembly is a place for gifts, so don't forget to wrap up your purchases with some of the store's hand-printed wrapping paper and one of their funky cards.

This small business, run by two Emily Carr grads, warms our hearts. We always go out of our way to visit the lowercase reading room (A ZINE LIBRARY, YOU GUYS) and the staff are sweet and creative. They have an excellent selection of cards, stationery, and some books and T-shirts as well. If you're free on the first Thursday of the month, we recommend attending their letter writing club, which is the one evening a month they take their impressive collection of typewriters off the shelf and open them up to the public. There's usually iced tea and cookies, and best of all, great company.

I'm not even that into stationary stores, but I absolutely *loved* this place. It's small but there are a gaggle of great things to look through. Everything is hand-made, crafted and arranged with love. It's definitely not cheap, but you can find some amazing gifts here (I got one of their cute retro telegrams for one of my friends). The woman behind the desk was super-helpful. Apparently their letter-writing parties (once a month) are a total blast. I'd definitely come back here!

MOST AMAZING CARD STORE IN VANCOUVER!!! My friend told me I had to come here to find some pretty amazing cards. I thought maybe she was just a bit nutty and hyping this place up....I was wrong. This place deserves all the hype and more. It's not really a noticeable store. They don't have a fancy awning nor does it stand out. If you drove by or walked by you'd probably not even notice you had...but you'd be missing out! I came here looking for just one or two cards and walked away with 6. They have some adorable cards and I'd definitely come back. There are so many cards with personality, cute, sweet, etc. Skip Hallmark etc style cards. Go for something original and unique! COME HERE!

Wow, what a find. This place is so different. I've really never seen anything like it. It's full of original bits and pieces including buttons, printed notepads, chalk boards, fabulously printed wrapping paper, ink pads & stamps, address card holders, and much more! Also offered at this wonderful Main Street gem are writing groups that are held on the first Thursday of every month. In these groups you're given paper or typewriters to use to write whatever you want with! What a great way to get together with some friends or meet some new people and write a letter to Grandma or Grandpa. I've also seen small groups inside this store making pin-buttons. This really is a super cool shop just waiting for you to come and explore it. So quirky. So original.

The staff is very nice and helpful. There is a section dedicated to zines. It is interesting to see the different creations from unknown authors. My favourite part, though, are the interesting cards. Oftentimes, cards are filled with cheesy, boring cliches. Here, you can find cards that are different and express exactly what you want.

I've been back to RAoT twice since the last review and it's also lost 2 stars in the process. How did I fall out of love so easily? Well, I'm more than happy to spend on creative, unique items where you think you might not be able to buy elsewhere, but the attitude and service in this store has actually inspired me to find equally great items elsewhere. Not only are were they not friendly on both occasions, but also asking questions about some of the items just totally plain-out irritated and annoyed them. Like, I was bothering them. I was asking about the monogram boxes and she just couldn't be bothered to say anything more than "everything you see is what we have and you can just grab them yourself". uhm, ok so I tried.. and I couldn't get it.. at first. then I somehow knocked it down and i asked her how much they were and she said, the prices are on there. well, if they were I wouldn't have asked. anyway, i'm sure that I dont need to type out a play-by-play but I think I'm going to be looking for somewhere else to buy my lovely buttons and cards... unless i'm desperate.

This is an awesome and unique stationery store with a vintage office supply vibe. Great for practical yet classily designed gifts. Like to do lists, schedule books, notebooks, sketchbooks, erasers and pencils. They are all kinda hipster-graphic-designer-y with a warm, natural look. There are DIY areas there to write little messages using a typewriter, and a pinback button-maker. Some fancier notebooks are very pricey but others are more affordable and just as nice-looking. Very fun place.

I go gaga over their Letter Writing Club. I want to write a letter to the Letter Writing Club about how I love the Letter Writing Club. 'Nuff said.

After stepping inside I knew I was going to have a good time. I wanted to walk out with one of everything! So many great note pads, pens, a cute selection of washi tape, rubber stamp sets, and adorable "zine" type books (I'm assuming they're made locally). I'll definitely come back when I'm in town.

How did I not know about the place before being a creative writing junkie and letter junkie. I still write old school notes and letters and love 'zines. I stumbled upon this during Car Free Day, however, it was way too busy to do anything productive in there, therefore, I went today to get my creativity on and made some pins and spend a good 30 minutes in their 'zine library reading the mini zines. The concept is so cool and I love playing with Type writers. It felt so therapeutic and old school even though all I was doing was making a button. The button cost range from $2 - $3 for a D.I.Y experience, therefore, it is good for gifts, however, not good for re-selling at shows are craft fairs. The supplies for making pins is lacking, therefore, it is suggested that you bring your own materials and make your own pin and just get them to press the materials together for you. There is a small button making area and I had to share with someone whom didn't seem thrilled by my presence, however, at least I got my pins made. I would just go back to read the 'zines and make 1 pin/week if I could 'cause it is just so much fun.

Five stars for the mail-order service! Apartment Therapy wrote an item about the Regional Assembly of Text recipe box (http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/storage/recipe-box-from-the-regional-assembly-of-text-071697). Intrigued, I bought one as a gift for a friend. It arrived perfectly packaged in coordinating paper and sticker . On top rested the owner's business card paper clipped to a tag stamped with "Thank You" and and a red arrow pointing to a Regional Assembly of Text button. I love attention to detail and am sad I can't visit in person!

I always want to spend so much money here. I love the local products they carry - Vancouver map tshirts, books, stamps and more. I am a sucker for anything Vancouver. Great selection of stamps and postcards, and the letter writing club is a fantastic, kitschy idea perfect for East Van.