Black Ink
Category: Cards & Stationery [Edit]
Neighborhood: Harvard Square5 Brattle St
Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 497-1221
- Nearest Transit:
Harvard (Red)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
65 Reviews for Black Ink
I could spend hours in here; actually, I nearly did. I had to circle the store about 5 times to take it all in. Although I didn't buy anything because I didn't need anything, I wish that I was loose enough with my money to buy useless but charming things.
I could spend all day in this little store. One word sums this place up: neat. I guess most of there things are a little useless and overpriced. There are so many nifty things on the shelves that I'm not even sure what some of them due, but I want them!
There is one thing they have that really want to try one day. They have a canner and for $5 they can place your gift or whatever you want in a can and seal it. Interesting gift wrap and the opportunity to open a gift with a can opener.
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Be prepared to hold a tight grip on your wallet, lest you find yourself picking up every single thing that you clearly "need" and cannot live without. The perfect combo of ironic, smart, kitch, useful, useless, japanimation, baby gear and grown up goodies.
The perfect place to come find a present when you're at an otherwise loss for inspiration.
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Black Ink is a bit on the pricey side but it gets serious points in my book for being off beat, unique, and so gosh darn CUTE! I love the little knick knacks. The cards are awesome too, very sweet. Black Ink is my go to place for stocking stuffers and WTF-Do-I-Get-This-Person-I-Only-Kinda-Know gift place.
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I always want to like this store more than I do. In theory, it's great. Creative do-dads, last minute gift ideas, the fact you can store said last minute gift ideas into cans instead of boxes...but something falls short for me. I don't know if it's the overly self conscious cuteness of the store or the utterly apathetic staff, but while I do end up here whenever I am in Harvard (ok not every time I am in Harvard, but enough) I leave feeling disappointed. I'm glad though, now that the Museum of Useless things in closed, that the two stores won't seem quite so overly redundant.
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This store has some really neat stuff. Nothing you would buy for yourself really, but some great ideas for gifts.
I stumbled in here on a whim after a quick run to Chameleon and Lush. My car was parked like 10 blocks away on Hawthorne Street, and I was only now just coming back from my mental break. Anxiety attacks all around, one for you, and you, and you and YOU! Drinks a warm glass of milk, pops xanex.
For some reason, I thought they might sell cute cards or stationary here for Valentines Day. I wasn't planning on buying any, as I usually make my own and was really just looking for some inspiration. No cards in sight, although I did see a really cute animal shaped lunchbox, a cute book about tales of cherished stuffed animals, sushi kits, and lo! Little Japanese erasers! Perfect! I purchased one shaped as a slice of cake, 2 hamtarros, and one a chocolate frosted donut. Completely useless, but perfect for the goody bag I am preparing to craft. What goody bag is complete without erasers that just smear the graphite over the paper while they're little legs and heads dangle off at their joints? NONE!
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Since I apparently think I matter... I don;t really find it necessary to have more than ten reviews for Black Ink. It's a visit worth for your first trip to Harvard Square. It's across the street from the Curious George Store. It has tall shelves of cutesy not so useful gifts. Whoop. Dee. Doo.
I can't find any other reason to really go in there ..well except for the best thing to ever have been created. The small mini photo travel book with pictures of every everday item possible.. so instead of learning the language.. you can instead point at your goal and go UHH UHH when you go to foreign lands. Also the gift wrapping patterns hanging behind the counter are worth the purchase.
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The same people run the Museum Of Useful Things so I guess that makes this the Museum Of Useless Things.
It's a spot-on-assessment - a kind of arty, female, hip version of Brookstone. A shop to look for gifts when you have no clue, no ideas and enough money to justify not going on Etsy or making something yourself.
The store itself is beautiful and contains a lot of beautiful things that people will love to receive but probably will soon forget. Is that really a bad thing in our consumer society? Maybe. Don't be too much of a grinch though - it's a good place for expensive stocking-fillers and they have excellent cards and giftwrap.
Observation: the other Yelp reviews for here are pretty negative from guys, and pretty positive from girls. I guess we shop in different ways,
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This review is based solely on adorableness. Can you just review something for being adorable?
::checks rule book::
There's nothing against, so I sticking to it! This store is ADORABLE. Pretty much filled with neat knickknacks and cute little non-sense presents for people. I always go in here when I am in the square, but have yet to buy something!
Everything is neatly arranged, the staff is somewhat invisible and the prices (from what I have picked up) are not too pricey.
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I love this place for its doo-dads and its card selection, which are just about the only items I can afford in the store.
Tons of interesting, ironic, playful, and just all around creative cards for all occasions and even for the non-occasions in life.
The doo-dad selection is great for putting together little care package type things or just finding the perfect little addition to a gift. The sister store, Museum of Useful Things found around the corner on Brattle, recently closed which is unfortunate because it was the perfect compliment to Black Ink's variety of fun but generally useless items... perhaps the stock will merge??
Quirky little shops that sell novelty items can either suck really badly or be really awesome.
There's a middle ground too, I guess, and Black Ink is sort of on the awesome side of that middle ground. Here's why:
* When you go in there, you feel like a little kid in a shop where the shelves reach the ceiling. This mixture of both nostalgia and creepiness even each other out
* a lot of the items are totally boneheaded and impractical, yet a lot of the items are really nifty. my memory sucks at retaining impractical boneheaded stuff (drinking games and doorstoppers and stuff), but some of the awesome stuff includes a papercraft skeleton, video game wrapping paper, and fashionable umbrellas that make you feel like you're in Animal Crossing (now available for the Nintendo Gamecube and DS)
* its cramped in there.
*
yeah, i ran out of talking points. I guess, after writing this, I'm a little on the fence about black ink. I probably could find sweet but pointless gifts there for about 30% of the people i would normally buy gifts for. And as a guy who sucks at buying gifts, that's a pretty good percentage.
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Every time I go to Harvard Sq, I want to go in this store. I think its so cute. But after thinking about it, I believe I 've only ever bought one or two things from there. Its slightly expensive, but considering the stuff is so random, its kind of ok. its a great place for secret Santa presents and that kind of thing...
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Wait a minute...which store am I in? Museum of Useful Things, or Black Ink?
Either one, I don't need to drop that much money for something I'd use once during a gimmicky dinner party, then throw away.
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'unexpected necessities' is the perfect way to describe this place. Before walking in, you never knew that you needed these things.
But you do.
Fun unique gifts. It's not cheap, but some of the things are really useful. Others, like the baby book about nesting dolls is unnecessary but a perfect gift for my pregnant cousin who loves nesting dolls.
The store is stylish and well-presented. I found so many things that I need to go back to buy.
Everything in this store makes me wish that I had a use for these things. Most of the items, while fun to look at, don't serve much of a purpose and are fairly expensive.
They do have the rare gem of gifts including a wonderbread sandwich container that I was able to pick up for a friend of mine who'd just had hers jacked from a former roommate.
I never expected to find that anywhere let alone there. If you're looking for a gift for someone that is hard to shop for, I suggest checking this place out if you're at a total loss. They have great stationary, incense, dinnerwares, etc.
Even though this place is pricey, it's sorta expected. It's like an offshoot of a museum store like the MOMA. The stuff is unique, unexpected, and great for buying gifts. Stuff you find here you won't likely find anywhere else. There are really nice greeting cards, a bunch of books, stationary, beautiful gift wrapping paper, and more. It's fun to pop in, kill some time and look around when you're in Harvard Square.
This place reminds me sooo much of the Bay area that I can't help but go in ALL the time to poke around. I do buy a lot of things here. I love their cards, wrapping paper, just cuz gifts and on. It may appear that a lot of items here are "useless" as some other reviewers have stated, but it's definatly worth checking out. I've picked up a few things that are well utilized. If you are an impulsive buyer, be cautious. This place would be a danger zone.
Now that I ave discussed the content of the store a bit, the sales people are good. Friendly and helpful but not overwhelming. Generally the will leave you alone until you ask for help.
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I love this place. It's the mecca of cutesy, kinda expensive stuff that I don't really need, but sure is fun to buy as gifts, or to consider for myself if I am bored and have too much money. Hmmm......what's on my unfrugal shopping list that I could buy here? $28 dog shampoo? Check! Magic 8 Ball? Check! Lots of very specific and not really practical dishes? CHECK!
They do have some handy stuff like good travel maps, sanitizing hand wipes, book, cards, and lots of great gifts like handmade (but expensive) jewelry.
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The best place for adorable cards, post cards or unique gifts if you have the money for fun unique gifts. I wish I could afford to buy everything in there but for now the cards and cute little toys are enough.
I am a sucker for shops that sell lots of little, cool things- ok I'll say it, chotskies. I admit it. However, Black Ink's chotskies are not the ceramic dolphins and tribal masks which cover every square inch of my mom's house- yeah it's pretty awful. They actually have cool things at Black Ink- even if a bit overpriced.
It's a great place for unique presents. I got a friend a book that analyzes your handwriting and acts as a journal for example. They have neat wallets, jewelry, mugs, sock monkeys, travel bags.... Def. a fun place to just look around if you are in Harvard Sq. with some time to kill.
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For those of you in SF, this place reminds me of Wishbone minus the clothing and heavier on the office supplies and office toys. They carry stylish cards and gift wrap but also lots of little knick knacks that make great stocking stuffers or hostess gifts. They carry Cram Cram products and I bet they have Thomas Paul melamine plates (okay, it's a guess - one that I can't check up on easily).
I could spend an hour in here looking through the bins of letter sets and notebooks, not to mention the toys that would appeal to all ages. Visiting their website, I found out that they also own the Museum of Useful Things. The items in the store are functional but cute. Example - I bought a plastic Hostess cupcake holder. Useful? Well, it could be useful but I wouldn't call it something that most people need.
I wish I had been there for the appearance of the Giant Pocky. Is Giant Pocky useful? Yes, but once again, it's whimsical at the same time.
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I'm a huge fan of cool, useless crap. My house is full of it--from the Ikea stoplight to the Galileo thermometer to the lava lamp, almost every free surface is covered with something cool I found for myself or something someone else deemed I might like. With that, you might think that Black Ink was the perfect store for me, and so did I. I just went in there for about the 10th time today and realized that I have never actually found something I wanted to buy in here, for me or for someone else. I guess Black Ink's crap just misses the mark for me. I also find it hard to look at everything in here--they have stuff piled up to the ceiling and there are always so many people in the store that it is almost impossible to stand back and look up. If you're not 10 feet tall, you may have to bring a periscope if you want to check everything out. As for me, I think I'll stick to picking up my crap at Joie de Vivre and Abodeon.
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As a veritable Mecca for tchotchke lovers, this cozy little store is naturally the perfect gift destination for acquaintances you like enough to get presents for or to please yourself with a random cute something to decorate the cube/dresser stand. It's stocked with a great selection of cards for all occasions, novelty items like Japanese stuffed toys and erasers of various adorable things, cool printed wrapping paper and other miscellaneous doodads no one needs but everyone appreciates.
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Black Ink has a great, whimsical feel to it. I buy my quirky thinking-of-you cards here. If I had money to burn, I'd probably high-tail it here. Too bad I don't.
I love stores that carry stuff that only I want to buy. Japanese stickers? Check. Large rubberbands shaped like cats? Double Check. Mah Jong tile key chain? Triple Check.
Black Ink is full of totally cool items perfect for last minute gift buying or for just treating yourself to something fun and unusual. I could easily drop 100 bucks in this store on any given day. It's dangerous.
Only downside? It's super tiny. Too many people in there just browsing and in the way. Especially bad in the summer during peak touristy times.
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One of my favorite places to pop into in Harvard Square, just for the sheer fun of poking around and touching absolutely everythingThe dispay is so inviting & makes me want to play with all of the little wind up gadgets and objects. Lots of fun versions of fuctional items. Great for gifts and very inexpensive
This is one of my favorite stores ever! You can find the cutest quirkiest stuff here, from toys to books to glasswares!!! It's fun to browse in every few weeks (or for me, every few days, I always go there for cards too) since they always have new things.
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I LOVE this store. It has the most adorable/fun/kitsch (in a good way) greeting cards. they have interesting mugs which i love and random games and utilities. I dont make it out often but its always a treat when I can. i stock up on cards and toys, theres something for everyone. great gifts.
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This is a great little store with lots of unique products. They have a large number of gifts for kids/parents and pets (special dog shampoos?), but there's plenty of stuff for the grown-up humans as well. I stopped by yesterday to pick out a little birthday somethin' somethin' for a friend and was pleased to find lots of cute silly things as well as more upscale gifts, so I combined them and bought her a quirky set of washcloths packaged to look like a parfait and a bar of fancy Provencal soap. Great selection of cards, postcards, stationery and like like, too, including a wide variety of paper clips and rubber bands for some reason, not to mention Tintin themed Post-Its. It was so fun to shop there!
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You know that money you got from nanna for good grades or you saved up for your big trip to the "city", this is a likely place to spend it. First of all, I am an enthusiastic person in general, without be the cheer leader type. If I find something that amuses me, I go with it. A few years ago it was gnomes based on my childhood ownership of a book about them and the childhood thought they existed. The outcome of my expression of this amusement is a small army of small figurines in gnome or gnome-like form. Several are from Black Ink.
The staff is not friendly, the place is filled with people who will not buy (leading to the friendly staff issue), but overall it serves its purpose as a place you may find amusement or just nothing appealing.
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Black Ink is a great place to buy a birthday or housewarming gift. They have a large assortment of quirky, well-designed items and lots of fun doodads.
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This insanely cute store is chock full of kitschy items that you didn't know you needed until stepping in. Along with journals, retro games and books, tea and barware, you can also find great educational gifts for kids--my favorite? They have the adventures of "Petit Nicholas" translated into English--I loved those books when I was younger (although in the English translation Nicholas is significantly less naughty...haha).
Great place for gifts and home decorating.
One of the main reasons to go to Harvard Square. Cool toys, games and useless things you didn't know you needed but can't resist buying them.
They change their products very often. They have interesting and quirky foreign products.
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Cool but pricey stuff. Stepping inside makes you feel like an instantly hip design expert.
The greeting card island in the middle has amazingly beautiful, somewhat unique pieces. Little works of art to send to your loved ones in the mail. My favorite thing was the set of elk/deer antler cards. Just the various antler silhouettes stamped in yellow. But they were $20 for like, 6 cards, so I didn't buy them.
The sister store in Beacon Hill is exactly the same, if a tiny bit smaller than this already tiny store.
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I really love Black Ink. If you receive a birthday/thankyou/wedding/etc card from me, there is a 99% chance that it is from there.
This small shop in HSq is full of delightful little things-- erasers shaped like sushi, delicate nature inspired glassware, interesting toys for kids, japanese dishware, lovely stationary, ever-changing wrapping paper sold by the sheet...It is the perfect place to buy a gift for a hard-to-buy-for friend because everything is super cute. It is also a great place to buy a treat for yourself-- I got a gorgeous tiny Nilsson pitcher here (before they were at C&B) that i love love love.
The staff is super nice and it's always a lovely shopping experience at Black Ink.
The cutest, most pleasant little gift shop! I make sure to bring my family and friends here, when they visit me.
Wonderful store! A great mix of eclectic items ranging from Japanese stationery to giant rubber bands.
They have a lot of things that you don't need, but suddenly feel the need to buy.
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Cool little shop with modern/retro (I know it's an oxi moron) goods. The random yet useful contraptions you never thought you'd find. I dig it.
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Fun fun fun store -- a mix of retro and modern, useful and not. It is all very pleasing to the eye. I recently bought a great toiletry case there with a unique design. Fun baby gifts as well. The Harvard Square store is a bit crowded.
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