Jules Besch Stationers — Local services in Truro

Avoid at all costs

My family was excited to return to what was once a favorite stop on the Outer Cape. What happened was so surprising and upsetting. We were browsing the store and looking at all the different rooms and were the only customers in the store at the time. My 18 year old daughter was pacing around the front of the store and quietly talking to herself. Out of nowhere, the owner became quite upset and asked me if we were going to buy anything because SHE was driving him crazy and he gestured to my daughter. He then said that I should put her on a leash and he had his hands at his head and looked unnerved. I was shocked and confused and said that I was sorry our daughter’s pacing was bothering him and she has autism. He responded "I don't care. You need to put her on a leash." Understand that she was truly just pacing and not touching a single thing in the store! He continued to yell at us and told us to get out of his store, that we needed to find a playground, and that we weren't going to buy anything and we needed to leave. He followed us to the door and I took my daughter's hand not because she couldn't leave on her own but because I was starting to worry that the owner was going to go after her. As the rest of our party left the store, he looked at them and yelled at them "Oh great - there are more of you here. Just leave my store." We spent the next hour talking about what happened and trying to figure out what could have possibly caused the reaction. When we came home, we looked online for reviews and found so many similar stories that have happened to others by the owner. The other reviews were almost exactly what happened to us - out of nowhere the owner started yelling at the customers, to a point where people were concerned for their safety. And apparently this has been going on for over 9 years. To say that a special needs individual needs to be put on a leash is borderline discrimination and shows someone's true side. Please read the reviews before visiting this store. There are cute card shops all over the Cape....

My wife and I have been vacationing in the Wellfleet area for more than 30 years. We always looked forward to a trip to Jules Besch - first in Wellfleet, and later in Truro, and we have made many purchases of notebooks and stationery. Until this past September. During our last visit, while we were browsing and I asked the owner how his summer had been. He quietly said "Why do you care?". Unsure if I had heard him correctly, I asked "Excuse me?". He said "You're obviously not going to buy anything. You don't support me. You don't care about me. Why do you ask how my summer has been? Why don't you just leave?". I quickly found my wife and told her we should leave, and she was shocked. As we were walking by his checkout counter, he waved his fingers at us and quietly said "Adios". After 30+ years of patronage, he lost two loyal customers in one 30 second rant.

Over the next few days, I wondered what we had done wrong to set him off. Then I read some Google reviews. One suggested that he's agist, but we are in our 60's. Although we were wearing biking shorts and I have tattoos on my calves. After reading other reviews, I came to the unavoidable conclusion that he's just nuts. Please read other recent reviews and see what you think.

I would hope that he would read some of his reviews, and get the help that he obviously needs. But after his comments to one reviewer, I'm pretty sure that he doesn't spend much time "online".

My final suggestion - visit only if you enjoy...

First, I must say that the person described in the less-than-stellar reviews that I have read IS NOT the person I encountered when shopping at Jules Besch. I am not calling into question their experiences; I am just saying it was not mine.

Now, on to the deets: I feel as if I have discovered gold! Such a gem of a shop! So many unique, interesting, and beautiful cards thoughtfully organized and well-displayed! In addition, the shop carries stationery sets, journals, note pads, wrapping paper, book plates, gift bags, and many other items. I was especially impressed with the quality of the stock and the reasonable prices. Also available are antique pens, ink wells, book ends, and letter knives.

Now for the proprietor. He was welcoming, cheerful, and very helpful, and he knows every inch of his shop. Tell him what you need, and he can put his hands on the perfect card in a matter of seconds. If you want a card with some attitude, he will bring out his under-the-counter stock. Nothing raunchy, just cheeky. His taste in stationery products is impeccable: his unique products are beautiful to see, agreeable to hold, and a pleasure to read. The shop is in a 150ish year old school, so it creaks as you move through the rooms, which adds to the charm.

Will I...