IT ALL STARTED TWENTY TWO YEARS AGO IN 500 SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE...
BILL SCHOSSOW AND CRAIG LINDSTROM, TWO CREATIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC PITTSBURGHERS (WITH ALMOST 40 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE IN RETAIL) HEDGED THEIR BETS THAT THEIR CITY NEEDED JUST WHAT THEIR ADVERTISING, SALES, BUSINESS ACUMEN, AND ATTENTION TO PERSONAL SERVICE WOULD INVENT. THAT DAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1998, INKWELL STATIONERS WAS BORN. ORIGINALLY LOCATED IN THE ALLEGHENY BUILDING ON THE 10TH FLOOR AND EVENTUALLY MOVING TO 5TH FLOOR, INKWELL OFFERS LEGAL FORMS, CORPORATE PRODUCTS, FINE STATIONERY, INVITATIONS, AND GREETING CARDS FOR EVERY OCCASION. THEY ALSO SPECIALIZED IN UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL GIFTS FOR EVERYDAY AND SPECIAL DAYS IN A VERY WARM AND INVITING ENVIRONMENT. AS WONDERFUL AS THOSE FIRST TWENTY YEARS WERE, INKWELL FOUND A NEED FOR GREATER VISIBILITY IN THE SAME WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD, WITH MORE SPACE TO CATER TO THEIR EXPANDING CLIENT BASE….AND BOY, DID THEY FIND IT!
BILL SCHOSSOW AND CRAIG LINDSTROM, TWO CREATIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC PITTSBURGHERS (WITH ALMOST 40 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE IN RETAIL) HEDGED THEIR BETS THAT THEIR CITY NEEDED JUST WHAT THEIR ADVERTISING, SALES, BUSINESS ACUMEN, AND ATTENTION TO PERSONAL SERVICE WOULD INVENT. THAT DAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1998, INKWELL STATIONERS WAS BORN. ORIGINALLY LOCATED IN THE ALLEGHENY BUILDING ON THE 10TH FLOOR AND EVENTUALLY MOVING TO 5TH FLOOR, INKWELL OFFERS LEGAL FORMS, CORPORATE PRODUCTS, FINE STATIONERY, INVITATIONS, AND GREETING CARDS FOR EVERY OCCASION. THEY ALSO SPECIALIZED IN UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL GIFTS FOR EVERYDAY AND SPECIAL DAYS IN A VERY WARM AND INVITING ENVIRONMENT. AS WONDERFUL AS THOSE FIRST TWENTY YEARS WERE, INKWELL FOUND A NEED FOR GREATER VISIBILITY IN THE SAME WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD, WITH MORE SPACE TO CATER TO THEIR EXPANDING CLIENT BASE….AND BOY, DID THEY FIND IT!
TODAY, YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THEIR INCREDIBLE NEW LOCATION SITUATED IN THAT SAME VIBRANT AREA OF DOWNTOWN, ON THE STREET LEVEL IN BEAUTIFUL OXFORD CENTRE. INKWELL AT OXFORD IS SURROUNDED BY A GROWING COMMUNITY OF GOVERNMENT, FINANCE, AND LAW OFFICES, RESIDENTIAL SPACE, AND HOTELS. BEFORE YOU STEP INSIDE FOR YOUR MEMORABLE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE, TAKE A PEAK IN A few OF THEIR TWENTY-SEVEN WINDOWS AT THE ornate DISPLAYS TO GET A HINT OF WHAT SPECIAL ITEMS Are Featured this SEASON.
NOW, WITH ALMOST 80 COMBINED YEARS OF VAST RETAIL KNOWLEDGE, INKWELL AT OXFORD BRINGS THEIR PASSION TO SATISFY THEIR CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS TO A NEW LEVEL. IN ADDITION TO ALL THAT WAS OFFERED IN THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATION, THEY FEATURE: OVER TWENTY LINES OF GREETING CARDS, MEMORABLE CHILDRENS’ GIFTS, PITTSBURGH KEEPSAKES, NOVELTIES FOR THE WINE LOVER, CANDLES, CHOCOLATES, INTERESTING GIFTS FOR THE ATTORNEY, ACCOUNTANT OR BROKER IN YOUR LIFE, and OF COURSE….INKWELLs! BILL AND CRAIG ARE HEDGING THEIR BETS AGAIN THAT, ALTHOUGH RETAIL HAS VASTLY CHANGED DURING THEIR CAREERS, THERE IS STILL A NEED FOR EXPERIENCING A PRODUCT IN A WARM AND INVITING ATMOSPHERE. COME “SHOP SMALL” AND SEE WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE FEELS LIKE AT INKWELL AT OXFORD!
NOW, WITH ALMOST 80 COMBINED YEARS OF VAST RETAIL KNOWLEDGE, INKWELL AT OXFORD BRINGS THEIR PASSION TO SATISFY THEIR CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS TO A NEW LEVEL. IN ADDITION TO ALL THAT WAS OFFERED IN THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATION, THEY FEATURE: OVER TWENTY LINES OF GREETING CARDS, MEMORABLE CHILDRENS’ GIFTS, PITTSBURGH KEEPSAKES, NOVELTIES FOR THE WINE LOVER, CANDLES, CHOCOLATES, INTERESTING GIFTS FOR THE ATTORNEY, ACCOUNTANT OR BROKER IN YOUR LIFE, and OF COURSE….INKWELLs! BILL AND CRAIG ARE HEDGING THEIR BETS AGAIN THAT, ALTHOUGH RETAIL HAS VASTLY CHANGED DURING THEIR CAREERS, THERE IS STILL A NEED FOR EXPERIENCING A PRODUCT IN A WARM AND INVITING ATMOSPHERE. COME “SHOP SMALL” AND SEE WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE FEELS LIKE AT INKWELL AT OXFORD!
Bill Schossow
President |
Craig Lindstrom
Vice President |
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Bill Schossow attended Robert Morris University and left with a B.S. in Business Administration. While in high school, he acquired hands on experience at P.O. Naly Company and continued there through college and for the next 15 years, managing the purveyor of legal and office supplies.
BILL ENJOYED THE EVER CHANGING NATURE OF RETAIL HOW IT WAS FULL OF CREATIVE PEOPLE AND CREATIVE PRODUCTS. ACCORDING TO BILL, HE FOUND THAT HE “LIKED BEING THE CONDUIT FROM MANUFACTURER OR ARTISAN TO THE CONSUMER.” LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT SUPPLIERS WOULD HAVE IN STORE FOR THE NEXT SEASON WAS A BIG PART OF THAT. HE ALSO SAW RETAIL AS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BE “ONE ON ONE WITH INTERESTING FOLKS, LEARNING SO MUCH ABOUT LIFE THROUGH CASUAL CONVERSATION.”
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AFTER RECEIVING HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ADVERTISING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, CRAIG LINDSTROM WORKED AT AN AD AGENCY IN PITTSBURGH. HE ONLY REALIZED HOW MUCH HE LOVED THE IDEA OF SEEING A PRODUCT SELL AFTER A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WITH ONE OF HIS AGENCY’S BIGGEST CLIENTS. OVER ONE WEEKEND, CRAIG WAS CHARGED TO SELL HOOVER VACUUMS AT KAUFMANN’S DEPARTMENT STORE. HE FOUND THAT HE ACTUALLY ENJOYED DISPLAYING THEM AND WATCHING THEM SELL, AND THE REST IS HISTORY!
Following SEVERAL YEARS IN RETAIL MANAGEMENT, CRAIG LANDED A POSITION AT P.O. NALY COMPANY, A LEGAL SUPPLY PROVIDER, WHERE HE MET AND FIRST WORKED WITH BILL SCHOSSOW. THEY SHARED THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS AND THE UNIQUE GIFT OF TAKING CARE OF THEM, AS A FRIENDLY VOICE ON THE PHONE OR ASSISTING A SHOPPER IN THE STORE. CRAIG HAS ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE IS KEY, STATING “WHEN A CUSTOMER STOPS IN AND ASKS FOR A PRODUCT, I LIKE TO PHYSICALLY TAKE THEM TO THE PRODUCT, NOT JUST TELL THEM WHERE TO FIND IT.” CRAIG ENJOYS THE FACE TO FACE EXPERIENCE WITH CUSTOMERS, AS IT ALLOWS FOR AN INSTANT REACTION TO HIS SERVICE. |
IT ONLY SEEMED NATURAL WHEN BILL AND CRAIG DECIDED TO JOIN FORCES TO INITIATE THEIR OWN RETAIL ENTITY. A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD BRING THEIR HISTORY IN TOWN, EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE NEEDS OF THEIR MARKETS TOGETHER. A PLACE WHERE THE LEGAL AND GOVERNMENT COMMUNITIES, OFFICE STAFF, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC COULD GATHER AND BE BEST SERVED. FROM FINDING NEW AND UNUSUAL PRODUCTS TO USING A KEEN EYE TO CREATIVELY DISPLAY THEM, THE MELDING OF DIFFERENT STRENGTHS THAT COMPLIMENTED EACH OTHER WOULD BECOME A KEY TO THEIR SUCCESS.