An invitation to visit 

H.R. Stokes, London’s oldest personal stationers, is an address worth writing in your notebook.

In 1861, Henry Stokes opened the doors to his new shop, H.R. Stokes, at 58 Elizabeth Street. A hundred and fifty years later, it’s still there. It’s believed to be the oldest-established printer and stationer in London, providing bespoke letterheads and invitations to the discerning residents of Belgravia. Step through the doors and you enter a mysterious world of engraving, die stamping, letterpress and lithography.

Authentic and traditional, H.R. Stokes is a breath of fresh air in a world where tradition is hard to come by. A privately owned business, the shop has always fought to stay independent, with only three or four different owners over the years.

Reputation is key, and H.R. Stokes’s exemplary service has earned it a loyal following. Customers have been handed down through the generations: the grandchildren of families who shopped there when it opened are still visiting now. Back in the 19th century, the shop had earned such a high-profile reputation that it supplied stationery to Queen Victoria’s household. These days Roman Abramovich sometimes pops by.

For the past 20 years, David Zambra and his wife Phoebe have been in charge. The secret of their success has been to modernise, which has meant extending the shop’s range from personalised stationery to include books and gifts.

It has also meant keeping up with their customers. When the Zambras first took over the shop, their clientele was almost entirely English, with a few American customers. Now there are lots more Americans, with a few French, Spanish and Italians scattered among them.

It’s not just the people who have changed, but what they want, too. Convention has been ditched in favour of the creative. Customers want to keep the authenticity of traditional invitations, but with modern designs. The result is a beautiful, bespoke product.

David says the secret to the shop’s longevity “is our personal service and our product”. H.R. Stokes provides a niche service: engraving and letterpressing is a dying art: “There aren’t many places you can get bespoke, engraved personal stationery from nowadays.”

Plus, they love what they do, which shows as soon as you step through the door; there is always someone there to lend a friendly, expert hand. This is vital; local, independent shops are just as much about the people who are running them as the product they’re selling.

And the future? H.R. Stokes is going digital; the Zambras hope that by developing their online presence they can increase their profile. Everything else, though, will stay the same at the modern – but not too modern – H.R. Stokes.

H.R. Stokes, 58 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9PB. Tel: 020 730 7073.
www.hrstokes.com