World Lux in Seattle

[handlebar]

I'm sure many here know of World Lux in Seattle,either through online sales or actual store visitation.

What were your impressions??

 

I have been there a few times and having just visited again yesterday,have to say it was a most enjoyable visit.

The owner helped me out with a bottle of Noodlers ink (Lexington Grey) and i then drooled over the pens and watches available.

This store has a good cross section of both wallet drainers and i'm very happy it is far away from my home as i would be there ALL the time!!!

Good service,cozy atmosphere and a fun place to spend some time.

 

Curious if anyone else has been there and what they think???

 

Also,they produce one of THE best catalogs in the business.One you can actually take with you as opposed to only visiting an online store (which so many seem to do these days).

 

Jim

Vancouver,WA

 

[Doug C]

You're exactly right. They excel at customer service, as well as good pricing. Over the last few years I have purchased an Oris Watch, an Orbita watch winder, a Dunhill pen, and some leather goods, and they have been great.

[tnt]

I have been there a number of times. Nice place, nice people, beautiful pens and watches. I have bought a couple or three pens there, including a Visconti Van Gogh Midi with a Gold NIB in Ocean Blue for $139, a very good price for the pen. They actually had to have the pen sent over from their warehouse that is a couple blocks away. It really is more of a showroom. Oh but the pens they have on display!

[handlebar]

The watches make shopping easier as i was able to eye them and check size,weight,etc.Good thing i had a new(older)Citizen Pilot waiting for me in the post at home.Otherwise i MIGHT have bought yet another watch!!!!

One fellow was buying an orange Doxa Dirk Pitt watch while i was there.I was very envious!!

 

Jim

[savarez]

Heya Jim....

 

You should've stopped by the pen club meeting while you were up in the city! I would have treated you to a coffee!

 

Everyone at World Lux is da bomb. Todd is always helpful, and if you tell him what you're looking for and your price range, he can nearly always hook you up.

 

Glad you had a good trip!

 

 

[handlebar]

Heya Jim....

 

You should've stopped by the pen club meeting while you were up in the city! I would have treated you to a coffee!

 

Everyone at World Lux is da bomb. Todd is always helpful, and if you tell him what you're looking for and your price range, he can nearly always hook you up.

 

Glad you had a good trip!

 

 

Thanks Mike!!! I actually was going to look you up and send an email but my cell phone's internet use was limited.Besides,i was only there for friday and yesterday. One thing though:NEVER stay at Eight Avenue Inn. Yuk and double yuk.Other than that,i have always loved Seattle.

 

Next time maybe!!! Tea,instead of coffee!! LOL

 

Jim

[kenny]

I ordered a pen online from them.

 

Excellent people to deal with.

 

Only one complaint though--they said that the pen was going to be sent insured/requiring signature, only I arrived home to find it waiting for me on my front stoop!

 

 

[CharlieB]

I've purchased several pens and several bottles of ink from World Lux over the internet. I've always had excellent service. Once they accidentally sent me the wrong bottle of ink. When I called them, they told me to keep the incorrect bottle, and they immediately sent me the correct one.

 

One of my standard complaints about internet pen sales is the "call or email for prices" routine for the "luxury brands". I will have to say that World Lux has the most convenient means of obtaining their prices for such pens.

[girlieg33k]

I am a frequent customer but all my purchases have been online thus far. There was a time when I purchased 90% of my pens from WorldLux (or Joon Pens in NYC) due to my frustration with other online retailers. Unlike other online retailers, WorldLux keeps a "live" inventory it seems on the Web. It annoys me when I order something online only to be told a few days later that it's out of stock. That's never happened with WorldLux. I've always had great service and have not had any problems with any of the items that I've ordered (knocking on wood). I understand MicheleB is also frequent customer. She has graciously offered to take me there on my next visit to the Northwest.

 

Kenny -- WorldLux always requires signature. I know this because I've had to make numerous trips to the FedEx office when they leave the notice on my door. It is the FedEx delivery person who uses his/her discretion to leave the package at your door. You may want to discuss that with your local FedEx office if leaving packages unattended is of concern.

[Celeste]

Ya'll are talking about World Lux in Downtown Seattle? I must have been warped somewhere else. When I went there a year ago Noodlers was in a locked case in their cardboard boxes. The woman GRUDGINGLY opened the case and knew nothing about the ink. We kept having to chase the woman down to ask her questions. I found the store pretentious and uninviting. Needless to say, my mother and I were very happy to leave.

 

The most fun we had with pens that day was at a the old book sellers place in the south end of Pike Place. He had a bunch of Retro '51's that we all played with for about half an hour. We bought more than one, let me tell you.

[CharlieB]

Unlike other online retailers, WorldLux keeps a "live" inventory it seems on the Web. It annoys me when I order something online only to be told a few days later that it's out of stock. That's never happened with WorldLux.

 

Amen! This is also my standard complaint about internet pen sellers. If it is on the website, it had better be in stock and ready for immediate shipment. Otherwise the website should say "backordered" or "will be drop shipped". Online retailers in other commodities have mastered this simple courtesy. Why can't pen sellers?

 

My greatest frustration is to spend hours searching the web for a pen that has recently gone out of production, thinking I have found it, placing the order, and then -- several days later -- getting an e-mail stating that the item is not in inventory, is no longer in production, and would I like to buy this other similar pen that is just as good.

[Johnny Appleseed]

I recently went in there to pick up a couple of ballpoint refills and a couple of bottles of Noodlers. Outstanding service - they did not have the blue fine-point MB refill I was looking for, so I settled on a med-point, and they didn't charge me because they didn't have the one I wanted. The sales person was quite knowledgable and we chatted ink for a bit.

 

Handlebar - be sure to stop by Silberman Brown Stationers on 5th - just a couple of blocks NW of the 4 Seasons complex. It is another great store.

 

 

I have been there a number of times. Nice place, nice people, beautiful pens and watches. I have bought a couple or three pens there, including a Visconti Van Gogh Midi with a Gold NIB in Ocean Blue for $139, a very good price for the pen. They actually had to have the pen sent over from their warehouse that is a couple blocks away. It really is more of a showroom. Oh but the pens they have on display!

 

When were you last there? I think you may be thinking of the old display shop, which was a tiny little store-front on 4th. Their main office was on the 5th floor of a building on 4th and Pine(?), and they had this tiny, I mean tiny, little display shop in the front of one of the office buildings on the West side of 4th between Pine and Union. Now they have a new store over at the 4 Seasons hotel - still on 4th, but a few blocks south. I think it is their only location at this point - but I could be wrong.

 

Once upon a time they actually did on-site vintage pen repairs. The repair person retired to Arizona some years back, alas.

 

John

 

[Pjake]

I had the pleasure of living in Seattle '94 - '01 and also had the pleasure of visiting their store (Seattle Pen at the time) on Fourth Street. Todd and the crew have always been top notch! They are the ones that got me into the whole Italian pen thing.....

 

Good company, prices, integrity, and personality!

 

Peter

[Maja]

I spent a few hours in Seattle waiting for the train to Portland on my way to the 2007 Portland pen show and I stopped by World Lux (among other stores). I found the service to be very friendly and the gentleman who helped me choose a leather pen case even gave me a discount off the retail price (perhaps because I mentioned I was going to the Portland show....or the fact that I brought my Stipula Duetto World Lux LE with me to the store and proudly showed it off, pen geek that I am ).

 

Oh, and I would second the thumbs up Silberman Brown, which is just 2 or 3 blocks from the World Lux store.

[Jake]

I like the store but think their prices too expensive, at least from my limited knowledge. Then again, my price for a pen tops out at $100 and I'm unlikely to buy another anytime soon.

 

Both WL and Silberman Brown are fun places to gawk, however. Like Elliott Bay Books, I'm glad they're there but am unlikely to buy much from them.

 

-Jake

[savarez]

I like the store but think their prices too expensive, at least from my limited knowledge. Then again, my price for a pen tops out at $100 and I'm unlikely to buy another anytime soon.

 

Both WL and Silberman Brown are fun places to gawk, however. Like Elliott Bay Books, I'm glad they're there but am unlikely to buy much from them.

 

-Jake

 

Huh.

 

Everytime I've been in World Lux and browsed their website, their pens are usually well under MSRP. I mean, I'm sure you can find things a few dollars cheaper here and there, but I've always found their prices to be competitive, at least for the items they sell. For example, I got the Namiki VP 2007 Orange LE there for only $139.00!

 

But your point is well taken; they don't have a large selection of <$100 pens.

Edited February 26, 2008 by savarez

[Johnny Appleseed]

Last pen I bought from Silberman Brown was a Retro 51 Tornado for about $35. They both do have some lower end stuff, but a lot more higher-end. I confess I have only bought one pen from Worldlux, many years ago, but then I rarely buy modern. Usually I just go in there for ink.

 

John