May Day Paper & Post — The Best Place for Cards, Gifts, and Stationery in Kansas City

At Locate KC, we love highlighting the small businesses that make Kansas City such a vibrant place to live — and May Day Paper & Post is one of our absolute favorites. We personally love sending (and receiving) cards in the mail — there’s just something about a handwritten note that feels extra special. We're total suckers for a new gel pen, fancy paper, or a fun journal, and when we need the perfect card for any occasion (the kind that says exactly what you want to say), our go-to spot is May Day Paper & Post. 

With locations in West Plaza and Brookside, they always have the best selection of cards, stationery, and gifts that are thoughtfully curated and full of charm. We recently caught up with the owner, Ally, of May Day Paper & Post to learn more about her story, her love for beautiful paper goods, and what inspires her every day.

What inspired you to start May Day Paper and Post? Is there a story behind the name?

May Day Paper and Post was founded by me - Ally May - and is run by a group of women with a love of independent artists, cards, and all things paper. 

In addition to being a play on my name, the name May Day Paper and Post comes from the holiday May Day. May Day is a celebration on May 1st that marks the beginning of summer for farmers as it's the day between the spring equinox and June solstice. Growing up in a rural community in Missouri surrounded by farming, May Day was a celebration complete with the May pole, dancing, and May Day baskets. We would hand-make these baskets from paper and ribbon, pack them with candies and wildflowers picked from fields before leaving them anonymously on neighbors' doors. It was my first memory of creating a gift by hand with the sole purpose of brightening someone's day. 

What’s your background, and what led you to open May Day Paper and Post?

I have a background in consulting but have always been greeting card and paper obsessed. I love sending and receiving mail — it’s been a part of my life since I was a kid. I lived on the East Coast for 10 years where small independent stationery stores were the norm.  When I moved back to KC in 2020, I moved boxes and boxes of my favorite cards with me. But as December came around, I set out to find my weird, funky, cool holiday cards to send and was a bit disappointed by the selection around town. There are some amazing local shops that carry some very unique cards but I didn't find the breadth and depth of independent artists and printers I had grown used to. The idea for an independent card shop with cards from small printers and American artists with real messages for life's real moments was born.

Why cards, stationery, and paper goods? What drew you to this world?

Oh there’s just something magical about paper! If you’re a paper person, you’re just drawn to ink on paper — whether it’s letterpress, pens, planners, journals, cards, notepads, the list goes on. Paper people know what I’m talking about — there’s something so pleasing about the feel of paper and what it does to your brain to write something down or to drop a card in the mail to someone you love. 

I also love the creativity of the printers and artists that we source cards from. They are like little pieces of art! Some are stunningly beautiful, some are so witty and make me laugh out loud, and some are so powerful or poignant. 

How would you describe the vibe and mission behind May Day?

We aim to be a happy place for customers — someplace calm and a little escape from the outside world to spend time surrounded by beautiful things. We are never in a rush here. 

We source 95% of our items from small printers and independent artists — we want people to be able to find stationery they can’t find in other stores in KC and we love supporting small printers and businesses from around the country. 

What’s your favorite part about running a shop in Kansas City?

We have the absolute best customers — I had never worked in retail before opening May Day and I didn’t realize how absolutely in love I would fall with our customers. Buying a card can be a really personal experience and it’s so amazing to be let into someone’s world as they’re picking out a sympathy card, a friendship card, or a card for life’s big moments. I love hearing people laugh as they walk up and down the card wall. 

Tell us a little about your new Brookside location—what made you choose that neighborhood?

We love the culture of Brookside — the culture of walking, supporting small businesses, and the love of art and creative shops. We thought it was a perfect fit! And what’s better than being next to an ice cream shop, coffee shop, and right on the trail?

What’s one card or product you think everyone needs to have right now?

A good pen! That doesn’t always mean expensive — we have some great $3 pens. But having a pen that you know you enjoy writing with makes all the difference. Are you a ballpoint, rollerball, gel, or fountain pen person? What thickness and smoothness do you like? Refillable pens are awesome, so much less expensive over time and less wasteful than having to buy new body pens each time it runs.

How do you hope people feel when they walk into your shop? 

We want everyone to feel welcome and seen in our shop. We carry makers that have a diversity of backgrounds — including women, women of color, LGBTQ  printers and artists with a wide variety of life experiences — to ensure that everyone finds cards and items that feel like them. It means we have a variety of cards that talk about infertility, cancer, loss, menopause, sobriety, as well as cards for pride, online dating, and all the phases of life. I love hearing that someone has found the “perfect card” for their loved one.

How can the community best support you and other small businesses this season?

Come see us! We have two locations that carry a lot of different items and we’d love to see you. Also, it really helps if someone leaves us a Yelp or Google review and posts on their social media to share with friends. 

For small businesses in general: there’s a real crisis happening with small shops in KC and around the USA. It’s a hard thing for some small shops to admit but a lot are struggling — it’s really hard to compete with the ease of which it is to order online and the prices. About once a month, we see a small shop posting on Instagram that they’re closing their doors — they just haven’t been able to rebound since Covid. It’s really hard to open a small business and so we’ll just not be able to replace small shops at the rate that they’re closing. 

I ask people to think about the neighborhoods and city they want in 10 or 20 years. I know it’s more time consuming to drive around town shopping in person and seeking out local options, but that’s the only way we’ll continue to have these stores. It takes a real cognizant commitment by consumers to choose to shop local, small, and in person — and to do so consistently. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk — I’m very passionate about keeping the network of small shops thriving!

At Locate KC, we’re more than just real estate—we’re your go-to resource for all things Kansas City. From the best local shops to expert home advice, we love connecting you to the heart of our community. Follow us at @locate_kc for more KC spotlights, home trends, and real estate insights!

All photos provided by May Day Paper and Post.