After working at a corporation for the past 13 years, my position was eliminated and I had to find a new path. Not wanting to go through such an ordeal again, I decided it was time to become my own boss. Essentially, I bet on myself by opening my dream store - The Prints and the Paper. I wanted to share my love of graphic art, illustrated children's books, japanese woodcut prints, Tintin, architecture, Wes Anderson films, design, Calvin & Hobbes, and anything else cool and creative. Not only did I want to curate all these great things but I wanted to create a memorable store like the ones I had seen on my travels in Amsterdam, New York, Paris, and Berlin. The Prints and the Paper is designed to wow people as soon as they come through the door. My hope is that they will make it a destination stop whenever they come down to 124th street - to see what is new, find something they missed on their last visit, and chat with me about the art. I love the idea that something you purchase in my shop - a birch buffalo head, a Christopher Walken pillow. or a framed work of art - will find a place in your home as a treasure that will bring you joy every time you see it. I want to share my love of my shop and everything in it with you all. That's the point. This isn't a faceless box store trying to sell anything that will make a profit. The Prints and the Paper is a throwback to a time when neighbourhoods were defined by the shops on their streets - when people developed a relationship with the shopkeepers and the other shoppers. It's a communal experience that gives both you and me a sense of identity and belonging.