Beginning

A Tale of Two Sisters

Our mother, Judy Silver, was content to be a housewife, tennis player and generous community do-gooder until a friend of hers opened a stationery store in Des Moines, Iowa. Mom decided that if a stationery store could take wing in the wheat belt, it could fly in Phoenix, too.

And that was the end of the tuna noodle casseroles.

In 1978, she and older daughter Nancy opened an 800 square foot shop on an arty side street in Scottsdale, Arizona, and the business did more than fly, it soared. The Paper Place became (and remains) THE PLACE for social do’s and social news, the hub for all that is happening in the greater Phoenix area from weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs and private parties to gala charity balls and corporate events.

In 1992, the shop crossed the street to a much larger space, and shortly before mom’s death in 1994, younger daughter Betsy joined the team. Now we two sisters, Nancy and Betsy, run the store together with a minimum of sibling rivalry, years of experience in creating outstanding invitations, and more buying trips than we can count to keep
the store filled with stylish invitations, stationery and gifts.

Mom gave us a great gift, as well as a labor of love. We hope we are following well in
her footsteps because neither of us got her recipe for tuna noodle casserole.