2025 STL Pen Show Ink

     

It wouldn’t be the St. Louis Pen Show without an exclusive ink made by @kwz.ink . Please welcome the newest addition to the Meet Me in St. Louis collection, 314 Blues.
(Pronounced: three one four)

The color name, “314 Blues”, was inspired by many things but it’s mostly a direct reference to the titles of blues songs (i.e. something+Blues), making a nod to the city’s rich history of the blues. 314 is the central phone area code of the city and county, and 314 Day is kind of thing here.

As stated in our mood board (posted earlier this year):
“…From our cultural heritage (French and German), to our sports, local eateries, summer treats…even the Missouri state bird celebrates all that’s blue in the Lou!”

For example, the light shading could resemble the Cardinals light blue alternate jerseys and the darker shading could resemble the Blues home Jerseys. Or, it’s whatever blue in the Lou you want it to be. It’s a vivid summer-y blue with deep royal shading.

The show has 200 (60ml) bottles and will be on sale at the show exclusively for $20 each (limit 2 per person), while supplies last. As usual, any leftover bottles may be sold on the site after the show, but most of the time, the ink sells out during the show, so if you want some, you’d better head to St. Louis in a couple weeks!

2025 STL Pen Show Mug

As part of this year’s theme (all things blue in the Lou) we’re again offering a mug on sale exclusively at the show for $20ea. at registration (limit 2 per person).

TLDR:
The front image is the cover of the sheet music for “The Saint Louis Blues” by WC Handy (1914 org.) The spelling has been changed to reflect how people of that era pronounced the city’s name and can be heard from music recordings at the time. We recommend Chuck Berry’s & Etta James’ versions of the song.

For the 2nd year our show has been enjoying a fun dialogue with the hosts of the Pen Addict podcast about how we pronounce our fair city’s name. The 2024 mug was our first “response”, if you will. Myke Hurley [co-host] posits we’re pronouncing it incorrectly (*Saint Lewis*) as opposed to the French (*San Lou-ee*). He IS right, historically speaking, but through Anglicization, the pronunciation has changed to what we use today despite its spelling remaining the same.

So, we hope you enjoy our little elbow jabbing with Myke and Brad, and that it provides a fun reminder of your time at our show. There is also an easter egg at the bottom of the image that’s a reference specifically to Myke.