Davao City fountain pen and stationery shop Tinta & Teksto marks first year

Tinta & Teksto, a Davao City shop specialising in fountain pens, inks, handmade stationery and analog journaling, marked its first anniversary on Nov. 14, 2026, Mindanao Times reported.

Founder Katya Zialcita has been a fountain pen enthusiast since 2019 and worked for a fountain pen company for six years. She said she opened the store after noticing that Davao City had no shop dedicated to fountain pens. "Davao needed a dedicated space where creatives, fountain pen enthusiasts, and stationery lovers could converge," Zialcita said. The shop first served fountain pen users before drawing a wider stationery crowd.

Zialcita said she picked the name because she wanted one that sounded clearly local and rooted in writing culture.

Beyond retail, the store also works with local artists. Zialcita said that over the past year it has mentored young creators on packaging products, tracking inventory and following professional retail practices. It also gives them shelf space for items such as stickers, postcards and stamps.

According to Zialcita, a surprising trend in the store's first year was an influx of beginners and young enthusiasts in their mid-20s, rather than only older collectors. She described handwriting and journaling as a quiet, almost meditative break from smartphone distractions.

To mark the anniversary, Zialcita hosted a beginners' session titled Fountain Pen 101 "5 Things Every Beginner Should Know," which drew more than 30 newcomers and long-time users.

The store has also released custom inks inspired by the region. These include Mangosteen and Waling-Waling inks, made in collaboration with artists from Cebu, and Chocolat Crema, a nod to Davao's cacao heritage. Zialcita said the shop is now looking at an exclusive custom ink project blending Korean and local artisan work.

Looking ahead, she said Tinta & Teksto plans to carry more brands, hold regular journaling meetups and watercolour workshops, and feature more local artists. The shop is located at 3rd Street, Ecoland Subdivision.