I’m Paige Wassel. WAS the Newsletter is your weekly dose of design inspiration, where we throw open the doors and see what happens.

Okay. First of all, hi.

As you may or may not know, my vintage store Office Supplies has weird ass hours. We basically are just never open. BUT when we do open we like to call it THE GRAND REOPENING. And for this GRAND REOPENING, we did a shop WAS IRL event. Well, you could also shop vintage. There really was nothing different about this opening besides the new WAS dog beds.

We had that classic first-hour rush where everyone trying to snag the good stuff before it sold out. But it never felt toooooo chaotic. It was chaos in the best possible way, all buzzy and excited. Then it settled into this really nice, steady flow of people. Loved being able to hang with friends, longtime followers, people I’d never met before, and some totally new faces who just wandered in to shop.

So if you came by, thank you. Truly. I’m always like..do you you think people will show?

A few things really surprised me in the best way. We sold a lot of WAS pillows (thank you for continuing to be into those), and way more tote bags than I expected. I always underestimate how much people want a good tote, but apparently the answer is very much.

Kate sold a ton of her custom framed art. She sourced a lot of those pieces in Mexico City, so this drop felt extra special. I mean, they were more than just framed prints. To me, they were little souvenirs, reimagined and made into something new. Seeing them go to good homes was honestly the best part. Except for the ones I should have bought and didn’t.

We also sold quite a few dog beds. I do still have a handful left. I’m going to offer shipping on those, so if you’re reading this and they’re not gone yet, check the WAS Instagram or Office Supplies Instagram and see if any are still available.

We cleared out a lot of previous drops and vintage pieces that had been living in the office for a while, which feels super Marie Kondo, except it all sparked joy. Yet I love a reset moment because makes space for what’s next.

The Office Chair Innovation

Okay, this is the part I’m excited about. I reupholstered two office chairs in designer fabric. No, not vintage; I’m talking actual designer yardage. I’ve been experimenting with the idea of using more elevated (read: pricier) fabrics on smaller pieces. Instead of committing to, like, ten yards, I’m seeing what happens when I buy two yards of an amazing fabric and completely transform a chair.

I’ve gotta say, people loved them at the pop-up. That was really encouraging. It makes me want to keep going with finding unique chairs and giving them a second life with fab textiles. This just feels so WAS-coded: practical object, slightly unexpected treatment, elevated but still usable.

More to come, stay tuned.

What’s Coming in June

We’re taking a tiny pause to regroup on WAS product launches. I’ve overbooked myself once again. Plus, we’ve done a lot of pillows and assorted soft goods. I don’t want to just keep repeating the same thing. So, June is going to feel different.

I’m working on a summer series that includes tablecloths, linen pieces (okay, both are soft goods now that I’ve said it), but also acrylic dishware to include plates and cups.

I’m stoked about the dishware. They’re technically outdoor-friendly because they’re durable and kid-proof, but I’m designing them so they don’t look like typical outdoor tableware. You should be able to use them outside, inside, wherever, and they don’t scream “pool party only.” I want them to feel intentional and design-forward, even if they’re unbreakable.

When those launch (hopefully in June), we’ll likely plan another WAS IRL event so you can get early access in person. There’s something about these launches having a physical component that just feels more fun.

More Hours, More Drops, More Hours?

One thing we’re working on before June is having more consistent hours at Office Supplies. Being open for three hours on a Saturday is…not ideal. What are the odds that exact window works for everyone? We’re going to try to make it easier to pop in. Keep an eye on Instagram because we’ll post updates there.

We’re also continuing to bring in more:

• Vintage

• Framed art

• Basma zines and art

• WAS pieces

Hopefully, we’ll have collaborations with small artists. We aim for Office Supplies to feel like a rotating mix of things you didn’t know you needed until you saw them in person.

So thank you for reading. Thank you for supporting. Thank you for caring. Shabooya.

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DO / DON’T by Basma Alromaih

xx,
P