New Shoreline business: Urban Papercrafter

Brooklyn enjoys the front porch

Story and photos by Mary Jo Heller

You may have noticed some activity at the location of 19042 15th Ave NE in Shoreline. Urban Papercrafter, formerly of Edmonds, moved into the North City Neighborhood. You may have also noticed no business signage for them, only because their last sign is a little too big for this building. The running joke is they’re calling themselves the “Speakeasy of PaperCrafting.”

Those familiar with the old spot will notice that this location has better parking and a quaint front porch with a cafe-style table for the significant others to relax while their partner gets to enjoy the store.

Products

Urban Papercrafter was founded by Brooke, a UW Engineering Graduate with a hobby of documenting life’s moments. She opened in 2007 just before the market crash. She managed to keep the business open with the help of family, friends and great customers who still support the business.

Originally named “Urban Scrapbooker,” she changed the name of the store to Urban Papercrafter, as many more paper based crafting hobbies became popular. The store offers products to create various projects, from scrapbooks, cards, mini-albums, and personal journals to messy multimedia projects, 

This new space boasts a separate classroom space and kitchen. The kitchen will soon be open, offering snacks, drinks and fun charcuterie offerings.

Chicken Poop chapstick

You will find rows of stamps, embossing folders, and dies for cardmaking, with open stock cardstock in every color in the second room. 

Tom’s Studio Refillable pens, (one of the most popular items), are displayed, along with fun notepads from some of your favorite movie locations, as well as snarky sticky notes and journals. 

Kitsch is interspersed with serious brands. While you are perusing the aisles for Tim Holz, Lawn Fawn, Sizziz, Spellbinders, or 49th and Market, you will sing along with the 50’s and 60’s music. (Singing is encouraged.) 

Don’t forget to check out the Chicken Poop chapstick!

Upcoming class projects are on display, offering a variety of learning opportunities and social outings. Brooke, and the very interesting Brooklyn, are available to help you get started with any project you might have in mind. 

Journals

While you are trying to visualize how a die cut works, or what ink colors would work well, there are many samples throughout the store for inspiration.

Patterned Paper? Yes, they have that too: 12x12 themed open stock as well as collection kits from some of your favorite companies. Sparkly is nestled next to patterned flower paper and gems. 

Need Harry Potter, Disney, Winnie the Pooh, or locally themed papers? It’s all there. But be careful turning the corner, you might find yourself looking at watercolor journals next to a vintage toy. 

Yes, Urban Papercrafter excels in antiques. Sort of. Collections are on display, not sold (yet). It’s a bit like a mini-museum, perfectly located now in a 1927 general store building. 

Even the vintage postal sorter with slots for sprays, paint colors, powders and ink pads, also holds several vintage cartoon toys.

While you are looking at the more than 350 ink colors, be sure to look down. You might find old books or look up and see a wooden shoe form.

Colored inks

Customers become friends, always finding an ear for new ideas, classroom projects, and perhaps new merchandise. Even with all the brand name products, 

Brooke is always looking for the smaller, cutting-edge companies. You will find companies from England, Poland, and Italy. 

Recycled old paper items are sold here, and new crafting methods are a staple. 

Co-owner Brooklyn

The store carries lots of specially curated products, from scrapbooks to cards, mini albums to messy multimedia projects. 

With the move to the new location, they are also increasing their writing section, featuring an array of fountain pens, inks, journals, old postcards, and more.

Brooklyn,  a co-owner who joined Urban Papercrafter in 2011, hails from Bristol, England, and New York. 

Brooklyn's prized bowling pin

Personal favorites on display include his Live Aid England 1985 t-shirt and the bowling pin given to him personally by Tim Holtz. 

However, you might find Brooklyn missing from the store while he works “on site” in Vancouver, B.C., where he does nails and wardrobe for the movie sets of CW, Netflix and Hallmark. 

Another show-stopper is the antique oven from Brooke’s childhood farmhouse that she uses as a display area. 

Brook's antique wood-burning
oven

But why stop with cards or scrapbooking, or even snacks? 

Brooklyn has a number of visions for the future, including an outside movie night, with popcorn, (perhaps an old popcorn cart??), or an ice cream social. 

Might the 1920s building next to them, a former Petrol Station, could be a coffee shop, or candy shop?

Curious? Stop in. And be sure to stay tuned. You never know what these two will come up with next. And we will all be watching to see what happens in this space next. 

Current hours are:

• Wednesday: noon- 6:00
• Thursday: noon- 6:00
• Friday: noon- 6:00
• Saturday: 11:00-3:00

Urban Papercrafter
425-771-2400
19042 15th Ave NE in Shoreline 98155