Partner Spotlight is a series designed to highlight the vendors that partner with ABA to offer discounted products, services, and business opportunities to ABA members. Each installment, we interview a different partner to learn more about their organization and why indie bookstores matter to them.
AbstractbyRabrams is a woman- and queer-owned stationery and gift brand that focuses on dopamine-core, subtle pride and positive affirmations. Owner Rachel Abrams designs all of the products from greeting cards to stickers, notebooks to magnetic bookmarks, reading journals, sticker books and more.
Bookselling This Week met with Rachel Abrams to learn more about AbstractbyRabrams.
Bookselling This Week: Why don't you tell us a little bit about the origin of the company? What prompted you to start AbstractbyRabrams?
Rachel Abrams: AbstractbyRabrams started as a COVID hyperfixation.
I'd been interested in learning how to do pour painting, and from there, I just kept creating and creating. I started doing markets with one of a kind, original paintings. Then I started creating products that I could reproduce, like greeting cards and stickers and notebooks.
When I was starting the business, I wanted to make sure it was fitting into my values.
I was raised with values of giving back, so I decided from the start that I would be donating a portion of all sales. I've picked various organizations — whether they are national or more local to states that really need it — that focus on LGBTQ+ youth.
BTW: That's awesome. I love that this started as a COVID hyperfixation.
RA: I never want to gift my art unless someone has said, “Hey, I would love to have some of your art.” So I was like, if I'm not going to gift it and I just keep making, I should see if I can sell it.
BTW: That's a great solution. How would you describe your products to someone who has never seen them?
RA: AbstractbyRabrams products are a mix of stationery and gift items with overarching themes of subtle pride, positive affirmation, and dopamine core.
Most items have elements of original paintings and everything is hand drawn.
I'm not purchasing any SVGs. I’m drawing everything and incorporate my own paintings.
BTW: Do you go through phases with your artwork? Is there anything that you're fixating on or particularly enjoying right now?
RA: Recently, I've been really focusing on digital art.
It's been really fun to learn Procreate, and things like the different brushes. It’s been really cool to see what other people have made and figure out how to create something with it.
I've been working on more realistic stuff. That’s really what I've been trying to dive more into. My style has been very abstract, which I know a lot of people love, but it’s not everybody's cup of tea.
So, as a self-taught artist, I’m trying to expand into more realistic stuff while still keeping my playful spin on it.
BTW: I'm excited to see what you create with that.
What prompted you to partner with ABA and with our members?
Right now, over half of my stockists are independent bookstores, and I have some very wonderful partnerships with these stores.
Partnering with ABA seemed like a wonderful next step, which will help me to continue to expand my stuff while supporting a wonderful organization also providing discounts to your members.
I have also been looking at getting involved with my regional bookselling association, which is Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association.
BTW: Did you ever imagine that you would end up in like primarily bookstores?
RA: No, because greeting cards were the main thing at first.
Some bookstores sell greeting cards, but not all, and if they do, it’s often quite a limited selection.
I started out working with gift shops and stationery stores, but as I continued to add designs, and especially notebooks and stickers, it really started to expand more to bookstores.
BTW: Would you tell us a little about the role of books or indie bookstores in your life?
RA: Books have always played a large role in my life.
When I was a kid, I was definitely one of those Kids Almanac kids. I stayed up late reading those and the Guinness Book of World Records. I was really into stats and facts. Throughout my life, books have really been a great way to throw me into different worlds and let my anxious brain relax and daydream.
With bookstores, I love traveling. When I travel to new cities, I pick an indie bookstore as one of my destinations. Not only am I able to support an indie bookstore with my purchases there, but usually they're in really cool areas.
For instance, I was in Georgia recently and I was looking for suggestions of where to go. People had recommended a coffee shop that is attached to a bookstore. It was a really cute coffee shop and a really cute bookstore, and there were a bunch of other awesome small businesses around!
It's a great way to learn about an area and learn about the culture.
BTW: Is there anything that we haven't talked about that you feel it’s important to mention?
RA: The big thing is that as a fellow small business owner, partnerships are really important and I want to make sure they’re beneficial for both sides.
I am open to offering different quantities, different product ideas, or custom designs. I love talking ideas — a lot of my current products have come from suggestions from stores.
AbstractbyRabrams is offering ABA Members 10% off orders $150 or more.
If you want to order through Faire, don't forget to email AbstractbyRabrams to get the promo code first!