Hammerpress
Hammerpress owner Brady Vest started using a press in 1994 to make custom record covers for his friends’ bands, along with show prints and posters for other local performing groups in the area. Today, his Crossroads shop specializes in greeting cards with the help of designer Miko Kuzunishi. Essentially, the pressing process is the same as was used for old newspapers, with metal and wood letters coated with ink and firmly pressed against paper. The shop was originally limited to typography “on file,” but now it custom-makes letterpress plates as needed.
500 Southwest Blvd. Suite 1A, Kansas City, Mo. 816-421-1929, hammerpress.net
Ink Paper Rubber
Ink Paper Rubber owner Jennifer Marquette has been a craft enthusiast all her life. Her love of stamping inspired her to open the Overland Park boutique in 2011. Marquette says that rubber stamping has come a long way from the familiar mounted terra cotta-colored stamp you used in grade school. Most rubber stamps now are clear and come in sets.
7299 W. 97th St., Overland Park, Kan. 913-381-2217, inkpaperrubber.com
HMK
Kansas City-based Hallmark is a global company, but it shows its commitment to the neighborhood with this boutique on the Plaza. HMK sells a product for every celebration, from birthday thank you cards to Bar Mitzvah gifts. Customers also can find gift wrap, notebooks, wall art and tea towels.
4710 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
816-931-4555, hallmark.com.
Easy, Tiger
Co-owners Melanie Bridges and Mike Sayre refer to Easy, Tiger as “the line between bobblehead dolls and fine china.” They sell everything from novelty glassware that says “the good s—” to artsy planners and cat bandanas. While they don’t have a standing store at the moment, Bridges and Sayre installed repurposed cigarette machines filled with their card designs in local stores and coffee shops around the area — you can find one at Westside Storey in the Westside neighborhood.
913-730-7317, easytigerco.com
Fetch
Patrick Froman owns Fetch, a masculine gift store in the West Bottoms that features products from local and national artists. Froman describes his store as a haberdashery and sells politically inspired gear, novelty items, handmade stationery and greeting cards.
1101 Mulberry St., Kansas City, Mo. 816-492-1426, fetchkcmo.com
RSVP in the Village
RSVP in Prairie Village is known for its custom wedding invitations. Owner Becci Meissner and her in-house designers work one-on-one with customers to create invitations, programs, menus and placecards. Alongside that, the quaint store sells personalized wine cups, custom napkins, vinyl prints, candles and greeting cards. The Christmas card collection is top-notch.
3934 W. 69th Terrace, Prairie Village, Kan. 913-432-7787, rsvpinthevillage.com
