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I have a confession to make – I am horrible with correspondence. It was not until Father’s Day that I realized the gift I had gotten for dad was sitting there, wrapped up in a bag in my room, 8 hours away from where my Dad lives. The post office was already closed, and by the time I was home from work, there was only one place I could rely on to be open – P&P Shipping and Stationery Store (746 Manhattan Avenue.)
As you may recall from this post in March, P&P Shipping opened on Manhattan Avenue, filling a recent void in the local stationary scene. The owner, Sujit, opened the business because he saw the need in the community. Like me, he has had some bad experiences at the Post Office and decided he wanted to offer something better to his neighbors.
Sujit has been a local business owner for 15 years, so when he’s thinking about Greenpoint he knows what he’s talking about. When he first came to the neighborhood, he opened a small candy store in the space that is now 7-11. He then expanded into a space next door, opening the classic late night snack joint L.A. Pizza, which was conveniently located by the bus stop and the subway station, easily accessible to everyone.
After selling those businesses, he opened P&P Candy Store, across from Rite Aid, 10 years ago. In the back he added a UPS shipping station and it was a popular convenience. When JAMS and Enla Photo closed, he realized there was an increasingly large hole for small businesses in the neighborhood. This inspired him to open P&P Shipping and Stationery at 746 Manhattan Avenue.
“I love Greenpoint, it is a great neighborhood, and Greenpoint residents should know that their needs will be met in the neighborhood. They should not have to go to an impersonal, far away place like a mall.”
At this point, a young Dad with his daughter chimes in, “Yes, Sujit loves his neighbors! I come down and take money out of the ATM and then I like to give it back to him.” He laughs and then proceeds to tell Sujit a story about his fishing trip in the Adirondacks. Sujit offers the little girl a special coloring book if she comes to visit him in the stationary store tomorrow. She happily agrees.
“I really like feedback! I want to meet the people in the neighborhood. If there is something people need in the neighborhood, something I can offer that they want, I am happy to do it. For example, I know that people don’t have their own printers anymore, so I offer a computer where you can print from your email right in my store. I also know that there are no local art stores, so I am offering art supplies that have been very popular too. I want to serve the customers, my old friends and my new ones as well.”
Sujit invites you to come and check out his friendly shipping services as well as his inventory of stationary goods. If you don’t see exactly what you want, tell him and he’ll try to get it for you.
Truly it’s small neighborhood businesses like P&P Shipping and Stationery that make Greenpoint a special place to live.
(Oh, and I got so caught up in talking to Sujit that I forgot to buy the stamps for Dad’s package. Sorry Dad! I promise I’ll get you the gift before your birthday… I hope.)
Sponsored post courtesy of P&P Shipping and Stationery.
This store also prints photos- they were able to process all my old family negatives from the 70’s that were in a rare format. I think they purchased a lot of the equipment from Enla. They put them all on a CD and were affordable too.