What is it about the feel and smell of a new notebook that sets hearts pounding? We know we’re not alone, based on the warm reception that German journal brand Leuchtturm1917 has received.
The hardbound journals, which come in different beautiful colors with matching elastic bands, are a standout among National Book Store’s stationery selection, not only for their aesthetic appeal, but because of the luxurious quality of the paper. It’s a stationery addict’s dream come true.
Leo Everaert, Leuchtturm1917’s international sales director, gives a brief explanation of the brand’s name. “It’s a bit tricky to pronounce, but it’s ‘loyshterm.’ The word ‘leuchtturm’ is German for lighthouse… It’s a good name for our company because a lighthouse is something that guides people, and in Germany, when we say ‘lighthouse project,’ it means it’s a very important project,” he explains.
The brand was founded in 1917, but its notebook business is only seven years old. Leuchtturm1917 was originally a stamp and coin collector’s staple because of its well-made albums made specifically for collectors. “Our customers kept asking us if we make journals because they love the quality of our albums,” says Everaert.
Leuchtturm1917 started making journals in black and red, but the company discovered people loved to have color in their notebooks. Today, colored journals constitute 80 percent of sales.
“We have 17 colors, there’s a color for everyone,” says Everaert, whose personal color preferences are gray and blue.
Digital scans
The brand is also known for its “Whitelines Link” notebook, which comes with a free app that “automagically” converts written notes into digital scans. The notebook has white lines that disappear magically when scanned by the app.
“The app was invented by somebody from Sweden and it’s a nice way to combine the digital world with the world of notebooks,” says Everaert.
“Compared to a scanner, Whitelines consumes less memory,” he adds. “We haven’t launched it here because we’re looking for a reliable partner. That’s why we have National Book Store for that.”
Fountain pen addicts will rejoice that Leuchtturm1917 is easily available here because it plays really well with fountain pen ink, something a lot of notebooks are not able to do. Says Everaert: “In northern Germany, we have a lot of traditional people who use fountain pens, so when we produced our notebook, we made sure it had to match with fountain pens. We wanted to find the right quality of paper that didn’t just wear ink well, but also felt good to the touch.”
One of the brand’s services for customers is personalization of the journals, in which one’s name is embossed on the front cover. National Book Store recently brought the service in through a pop-up event held last Wednesday.
You can choose to have your name, Twitter/Instagram username, or favorite hashtag embossed in silver or gold foil, or matte white or black.
The periwinkle journal embossed in white looks gorgeous, especially when you add a contrasting pen loop—sold separately—in teal or magenta.
The embossing service, free with any purchase of a Leuchtturm1917 journal, will be offered for a limited time only, so better go now and have your journals embossed.
Visit the Leuchtturm1917 pop-up corners at the following dates and National Book Store/Powerbooks branches: May 4-6 (Greenbelt), May 8-10 (Powerbooks Greenbelt 4), May 12-14 (Power Plant Mall), May 16-18 (Shangri-La Plaza), May 20-22 (SM Aura Premier), May 24-26 (TriNoma), May 28-30 (Powerbooks ATC), June 1-3 (Powerbooks Serendra).
Buy Leuchtturm1917 journals online at nationalbookstore.com and earn reward points for online purchases. For reservations, call 8888NBS (627). Follow National Book Store on Twitter/Instagram @nbsalert for updates. Share your personalized Leuchtturm1917 online with the hashtag #NBSfinds.
