Love At First Stamp Moves to A More Visible Location

A business that calls itself “the best kept secret in Connecticut” will become a lot less secret.

Love at First Stamp, which has been owned by Kathryn Russell for the past 19 years at 4 Albatross Drive, is moving to a more visible and central location in Ledyard.

She started the business out of her home when she home-schooled her son, Kevin, from 7th to 12 grade. He is now 28 years old. 

While most businesses rely on advertising, Russell’s has been successful through word of mouth, whether it is by family or friends or folks who work at New London Mall’s . 

Russell was motivated to move her business by her friend Stephanie Bassham, owner of which has classes at 1598 Route 12 in Ledyard. 

“It was challenging to find space where there was affordable rent,” Russell said, adding that she found that a room in the , on the corner of Hurlbutt Road and Route 12, was the perfect fit. 

It is only about seven miles from the former location.

The new location for Love at First Stamp, 7 Hurlbutt Road, is right across from the and and behind the future CVS Pharmacy. 

After meeting with Mark Bancroft, Mayor Assistant of Ledyard, and several town boards, Russell’s vision become a reality. 

Merchandise and furniture displays are being boxed up and moved to the location which should be open July 11. 

The business, once close to the windy Route 214, will soon be located at a place that “will make it a destination”, Russell explained. 

The 900-square-foot store will continue to offer rubber stamping, ink pads, die-cut special shapes for cards and scrapbooking, and classes.

Some of her customers are into , where they follow clues to find a hidden letterbox in a park or forest. 

Eastern Connecticut features eleven letterbox sites at forests including Cockaponset, James L. Goodwin, Meshomasic, Mohegan, Natchaug, Nathan Hale, Nehantic, Nipmuck, Pachaug, Quaddick, and Salmon River.   

The letterbox includes a stamp, stamp pad, and record book that are left at the site. Visitors bring their book and stamp and can stamp the on-site book and use the on-site stamp to mark their book. 

If Russell doesn’t have the stamp the customer is requesting, she works with 150 companies and can order the stamp. 

In addition to Stamper’s Club Nights, Love at First Stamp also features birthday club swaps, a secret sister group, and a monthly card swap. 

Music is the theme for the July 2012 monthly card swap. 

The new store’s hours will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and most Saturdays 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Folks wanting to visit on Saturdays should call first and other times can be made by appointment. 

For updated information on the store’s reopening or more information about its classes, visit Love at First Stamp on the Web, e-mail lafs93@comcast.net, or call 860-705-1827.