The Envelope Please takes stationery sales to next level

BOULDER – It started at home with a few books of invitations. Over time, it grew like Topsy into a substantial financial success.

The Envelope Please, located in the up-and-coming east end of Pearl Street Mall, is projected to do $200,000 in sales this year. Owner Leslie Herz said what distinguishes her business from other invitation and stationery stores is a high level of personalized customer service and a rapid turnaround of customized products for businesses and individuals.

The nature of the invitations business is personal and intimate. People and businesses have celebrations to mark milestones such as weddings, births, anniversaries and business success in their personal lives. “I frequently remind my employees to congratulate our customers on the intimate event they are celebrating,” Herz said. The Envelope Please provides the paper products and personal service to help them commemorate events in the atmosphere they want with the least amount of stress. “We do everything from addressing invitations and licking stamps to mailing,” Herz said. “Whatever it takes to get the job done.”

From the beginning, when she had a home business, Herz also had a printing system so she could offer her customers custom printing with one- or two-day turnaround. “Custom printing is essential to have if you want to provide a high level of customer service like we do,” she said. Including purchasing books from major stationery companies so she could offer their lines, Herz’ business loan when she started was $25,000. “Anyone can buy books (of invitations) for about $1,000 and start an invitation business in her basement, but if you want a retail business, you have to invest in a printing system,” she said.

The store has about 40 stationery lines and is the exclusive representative for The Isabelle Collection, invitations with botanical themes from Boulder artists. Herz advises people to stop by her store at 1911 Pearl St. to see what artist connects with the “the artist in you.” For those who can’t get to the store, Herz will send scans of four to six sample designs, based upon a customer’s interest, and e-mail them for $10 from her Web site at www.envplease.com. The amount is credited later to the customer’s bill. Prices for custom and personalized stationery runs from affordable, about $25, to wonderful, about $200.

The Envelope Please is known for its research into themes. A recent wedding customer, for example, wanted her event centered around a bicycle theme. The store’s staff of three, in addition to Herz, prepared or found invitations, notes and other stationery with various sizes and colors of bicycles. The staff also has extensive knowledge of the proper etiquette for weddings and parties. While some Boulder residents like everything informal and don’t follow the strict, traditional rules of etiquette, others want a very formal and traditional party or wedding and Herz’ staff works with them to ensure they know the rules.

The Envelope Please just moved from one historic building on Spruce Street to another on Pearl Street. “We want our physical surroundings to reflect the warm, personal and intimate nature of our business,” Herz said. The Boulder landmark was built in 1898 in terrace-style architecture by John T. Johnson.

Herz’ background includes business-to-business sales in Chicago before she moved to Boulder. “I was feeling the stress of my career and when I had twins, I looked for a creative and fun business I could do at home.” A friend had suggested the invitations business and Herz discovered Boulder didn’t have one. She hired a college student to watch her twins two days a week while she got stated. Five years and another child later, she has her own retail store.

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