Six Picks: Chandra Greer of Greer Chicago
Chandra Greer is the inspiring creative force behind Greer – the Chicago-based independent online stationery shop with a retail location in SoHo, NYC. Long-devoted to offering paper goods and office supplies that make the everyday more positive, she seeks out the beautiful and thoughtful from an array of designers both large and small, international and local, who are dedicated to doing the same.
Chandra’s career trajectory has been uniquely her own. She began as an oil movements analyst with Amoco, leaving to pursue her MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. After graduation she took an account executive position with Leo Burnett, the global advertising agency where she honed an appreciation of creativity and design, cementing her interest in the power of communication. This experience, along with a personal interest in correspondence, intelligent thought and civility, moved her to found Greer in 2000.
Chandra’s non-stationery passions include her family, social justice, reading, fashion, sneakers… she's a partner in a start-up that just might revolutionize the sneaker industry... and exploring the world – she and her family have traveled to over 90 countries.
greerchicago.com
SIX PICKS
2nd Palette, Hebe Socks - “2nd Palette makes the most beautiful socks I've ever seen. The patterns are extraordinary and the fact the individual socks complement, rather than match each other, is wildly inventive.”
Woloch Company, Face Mask – “We love when an item is functional yet beautiful and the harmonious imagery makes it even better.”
SGW Lab, Miniature Pots, White – “What a dream it would be to have a desk, table or shelf filled with these beautiful little hand-crafted vessels.”
TOYO, Tool Wagon Royal – “This well-made piece is the perfect, portable space to store all the tools an office needs.”
Noat, Guanyin – “This is my favorite greeting card of all time. Noat pairs a minimal aesthetic with elaborate printing techniques to fantastic, rich effect.”
Lateral Objects, Gradient Glass, Tulum – “These hand-blown, hand-tinted glasses are so pretty either to drink from or to display. I'd love to see them filled with beautiful pencils and pens.”
Octaevo
What kinds of products/objects are you most drawn to right now?
I'm drawn to anything I can visualize bringing joy to the customer who purchases or receives it, whether it's a perfectly designed notebook, a beautifully-crafted pair of scissors or a greeting card with a profound – or hilarious – sentiment.
Favorite Shoppe Object brand discovery?
We love Octaevo because of their spectacular, elegant use of color and the way they transform classic Mediterranean design elements into very modern objects.
What’s the best purchase you’ve made for yourself this year?
The best purchase I've made for myself this year was a recurring monthly donation to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Name an item that you can’t seem to keep in stock!
Definitely Four Point Puzzles which we were introduced to on Shoppe On. The line is very well-designed and the puzzles fun to solve! Our customers love them.
Four Point Puzzles