The art of a thank-you note is simple and mighty. It’s gratitude, love, and empathy, tucked inside an envelope. Putting words on paper and sending mail lands differently. Cards carry connection, evaporate distance, and affirm worth. Writing and sending cards takes time. Presence. It’s a personal act that goes a long way.
Cards surprise and delight people. They land on a counter or desk and deliver lift every time they’re picked up. They’re joy you can hold.
Writing and sending cards is a ritual. Choosing a card that fits: humor, gratitude, deep and meaningful, or a laugh. Formal or informal. For someone you adore or an acquaintance you want to encourage.
Around town, you’ll find stationery and cards in all textures, with heart-crafted art—for thank-yous, “I’m thinking of you” notes, birthdays, and just-because nudges that elevate a day or spread a little magic.
And here’s the thing: writing a card can shift the day for the writer and the receiver. It invites presence and turns a good intention into a beautiful action. Keep a small stash of stationery or a pile of cards within reach so gratitude and expressions are always close. Make it a practice: intentional, simple, an act of service.
Up next, you’ll find a handful of our favorite Portland stationery and letterpress spots, plus local makers we love. Explore, choose, then head home, make tea, and write the note you’ve been meaning to send. It will travel farther than you think.
Fitz & Bennett Home
Curated Home & Gift
Situated at 43 Silver Street in Portland’s Old Port, Fitz & Bennett Home is a chic boutique offering home décor, stationery, cards, and gifts. They carry elegant, artful cards and design pieces, many from artists like Sara Fitz, blended into a beautifully curated, stylish downtown shopping experience.
fitzandbennetthome.com
Kate Nelligan
Coastal Design Store
Based at 221 Commercial Street in Portland (and in Kennebunkport), Kate Nelligan features coastal-themed graphic stationery and cards alongside vibrant home goods. Her signature patterns — cut-paper collage and block prints — bring a colorful, graphic sensibility, perfect for Maine-inspired, eye-catching thank-you cards.
katenelligan.com
Pinecone + Chickadee
Art, Apparel, Oddities
At 6 Free Street in Portland, Pinecone + Chickadee offers a playful, eclectic mix of stationery, cards (including letterpress thank yous), gifts, and local art. Bright, quirky, and full of Maine flavor, it's a go-to for thoughtful, indie design items in the heart of the city.
pineconeandchickadee.com
Portland Museum of Art Store
Museum-Inspired Goods
The museum store features an eclectic collection of art books, stationery, jewelry, prints, apparel, home décor, and items connected to exhibitions. Its stationery collection, including artful notebooks, beautifully crafted paper goods, and thoughtfully designed pens, blends art and function, transforming everyday tasks into moments of beauty.
Portlandmuseum.org