Ryman has everything you need and more... (Ryman Stationery)

Member Name: jazzypinkpuppet

Product:	Ryman Stationery
Date:	23/07/09 (106 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Small local feel, friendly staff, good prices.

Disadvantages: Some things tacky, not enough staff sometimes.

Ryman is owned by the famous Theo Paphitis, who is one of the Dragons on Dragons den. He bought the business when it was struggling in the market and has turned it into a successful business.
A lot of the Ryman stores used to be called Stationary box, my local one has only in the last year been re branded as Ryman with a new sign and a mini makeover.
Ryman sells sells everything you would expect from a stationers, paper, printer ink, folders, pens notebooks etc. However it also sells a lot of things you wouldn't expect it to sell like children's toys, books, craft items, lunch boxes and desks.
I bought a childrens desk and chair in there for just £12.99, the chair and table legs look like crayons, it is great quality and brilliant value.
I can only really comment on my local Dartford branch of Ryman, but the staff are always very helpful and friendly they say hello as you walk in and have excellent product knowledge, when I needed a laminator the lady in there knew exactly what one would suit my usage etc and she showed me how to use it in a great way with no hard sell.
The shop is packed full of items at very good prices, it is the cheapest shop in Dartford for the ink cartridges I need. It has very good value childrens craft items I recently bought six bottles of ready mixed paint for £3.99. It also has lots of kids stickers and pencil cases etc.
They also offer a photo copying service for 7p a sheet, a very reasonable price.
My local Ryman is right next door to its big competitor W H Smith, however the friendly service and local store feel you get with Ryman is enough to keep me loyal to them.

I do feel that some of the things that they sell are a bit 'cheap and tacky' and veer away from their strong identity as a stationers such as plastic toys and balls. Although perhaps in this current financial climate, it is something they feel they need to investigate to increase profits.

Summary: A great store for general stationary items.