Discover your ‘inner child.’ New craft store opens in Columbus

A new option for craft enthusiasts has opened in Columbus.

Sticker & Stamp, at 2109 Wynnton Road, is a secondhand craft supply store co-owned by Sierra Wells and Olivia Fortson. They promise not only affordable art materials but also a fresh community space.

Sticker & Stamp had their grand opening Saturday. Their ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 12 at 4 p.m.

Wells and Fortson spoke with the Ledger-Enquirer about their business before their grand opening.

About the Sticker & Stamp owners

Fortson and Wells love to junk journal. They call it “Gen Z scrapbooking.”

“We have been friends for a long time, and crafts have always been the center of that,” Fortson said. “We spent a lot of time at one of our dining tables making stuff, and when we started junk journaling together, we realized how much we loved it.”

Junk journaling is a form of scrapbooking but with items considered “junk,” such as old receipts, branded napkins, postcards and movie stubs. The practice became popular in the early 2020s through social media sites like TikTok and YouTube, where users would flip through journals.

“[Junk journaling] helps you get rid of those perfectionist tendencies that a lot of people who are artists, creatives and makers have,” Wells said. “You just put something on a page, and if you don’t like it, put a sticker over it.”

Fortson and Wells got a few other friends to join them, forming a junk journaling club. They began hosting events called “Scrap and Yap,” a junk journaling class, at the Columbus Bound Bookshop.

“We felt a lot of love from the small-business community here in Columbus as we’re getting started, and that’s been incredibly encouraging,” Wells said.

Fortson and Wells started an in-person store and donation site in The Vibe On 6th, but they quickly grew out of their space.

“We had one small booth, and then we received so many donations that, the next month, we had two booths, one on either side,” Fortson said. “And then that continued. I ended up having to get a storage unit and put everything in that. . . . Shout-out to Michael [Woodham] and Candice [Tilson.] They were so wonderful to us and have been so encouraging. We just outgrew it.”

Fortson drove past their 2109 Wynnton Road on a whim and noticed it was for lease. After a quick phone call, their deal “fell into place,” she said.

Now, with a storefront, Fortson and Wells plan to expand.

“Being in this space is allowing us to expand the craft classes that we offer,” Wells said. “All of them are designed with accessibility in mind because, even if you’re not an artsy person, we still want to welcome you here and help you discover that inner child who loves to create.”

About the Sticker & Stamp store

Sticker & Stamp’s inventory is more than recycled supplies. It’s art with a story.

“At the very front of our store, there’s that giant wall of stamps with three huge buckets of stamps,” Fortson said. “We got that from a son who was dealing with his mother’s estate after she passed, but she was a retired art teacher who did, clearly, a lot with stamps. When you shop, you’ll see initials on some items that she put hers on, and that’s throughout the store.”

Most of the items for sale in Sticker & Stamp are donations from community members with overflowing art supplies. The donated items are sold at half of retail price, ranging from 25 cents to $10, Fortson said.

Fortson and Wells have been inspired by creative reuse stores in places like Savannah and Atlanta, hoping to reduce waste while making art accessible.

“Our planet is dying, and we have to use what we have,” Fortson said. “Crafting has always been a hub for that.”

Their plans for the shop include collaborations with local makers, events and an open invitation to drop by, whether a person is crafty or not. Wells and Fortson also want to hear suggestions from the community for new classes or supplies.

“Our main focus is creativity, sustainability and accessibility for everybody,” Wells said. “I want Columbus to know that we are working to build a welcoming space that is creative and unique — something that Columbus can call its own. We can’t wait to see everybody.”

Sticker & Stamp is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To keep up with their events, follow Sticker & Stamp on Facebook and Instagram @stickerandstampcolumbus.