Write On! Wynwood Letterpress Opens with Handmade Charm

All photos courtesy of Wynwood Letterpress.

If you get more gratification from sealing an envelope than hitting the “send” button, Miami’s got a new haven for you. Wynwood Letterpress, a custom stationery and invitation shop, is a typographer’s dream. More original than a Hallmark 2.0, the hip letterpress carries accessories and paper goods that pack a quipping punch line.

Located in Wynwood Block, the boutique’s entry feels like a dive into your favorite online Etsy shop. Glam chandeliers, fresh succulents and a charming Remington typewriter in the window — the letterpress is overflowing with minimalist vibes inspired by the stationery shops of Berlin’s Mitte district. To owner Bridget Dadd, bringing the lettering love to Miami’s art district was a no-brainer. “It just always had to be Wynwood in our minds,” she says.

“When you open a handwritten note in your hands, you know the sender found a pen, sat down somewhere, physically wrote something specific for you, then went through the steps to get it in the mail or in your hands,” Dadd says. “That’s special — a lot more special than a 12-second text message or email that could have been fired off while driving, brushing their teeth, talking to someone else. . . whatever.”

To-do list and greeting card aficionados can stock up on coveted brands such as Geronimo Balloons, Haute Papier, Gold Teeth Brooklyn, Rifle Paper Co., Blackwing, and Delfonics. On one shelf you can peruse notebooks representing your Miami hood of choice and on another you can browse cigarette cases carrying miniature works of Tolstoy and Hemingway — would you expect any less quirk in this part of town?

DIY devotees can cross a few projects off their aspirational Pinterest boards with the help of Wynwood Letterpress’ workshops. “Coming to a creative neighborhood and spending a few hours with like-minded locals learning new things seems like it’s good for the soul, right?” Dadd says. The store will host a calligraphy class led by Leila Farah, an applauded Miami-based calligrapher, on April 19, 2015. Future workshops will focus on origami folding, bookbinding, nature printing, and flower crown designing — helloooo, festival season! If you’re looking for more personalization, Dadd and her team can design one-of-a-kind paper goods for special events. Take note, Wynwood Letterpress is something to write home about — on fabulous stationery, of course.

This article was authored by Jillian Goltzman for Miami.com.

In the making of this article, I dropped a hefty sum on lettering supplies… it was part of my “research” of course. Here are a few of my favorite things you can buy online or in-store.