Last Thursday was my official last day as an employee at Paper Source. I was there for two and a half years almost to the day. I went in as a sales associate and left as a sales associate but in the meantime worked as a workshop coordinator, workshop teacher, assistant manager and new store transitioning assistant manager.
Before I moved to Maryland, I knew I wanted to work at Paper Source and commute into Georgetown everyday. I knew very little about paper except that I loved it. Fortunately, that was enough to secure a job.
I leave now with a lot of customer service experience. With an appreciation for letterpress. With an arsenal of invitation ideas. With great friends. With an addiction to double faced satin ribbon. With very little tolerance for bad gift wrap.
Without a doubt, my work experience at Paper Source allowed me to build my shop and start working from home. I spent a lot of time learning about the paper industry : stationery brands, wedding lines, gift wrap companies, all of it. Plus, working in a creative environment got me thinking in ways I wasn't before I started. I hear about a lot of people who work creative jobs and feel like it sucks the "make something" energy right out of them. For me, it was the opposite. My day job inspired my night job which eventually meant I was able to cut back immensely.
The hardest thing to say good-bye to is not the store, or the paper, or even the discount. Paper Source is where I met my very best east coast friends. I will miss checking in every week. Stalking the website and emailing is not quite the same.
I am very grateful for the past two and a half crazy years. I am also very excited to see what’s next.
Photos are random ones taken throughout my time in store.
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