The first thing to know about this place is that it's in a strange spot. It shares space with an…read moreAce Hardware store, and from the outside it looks much more like a hardware store much more than a crafts store.
This isn't as well-stocked as a decent arts and crafts stores on the mainland. But it's not on the mainland, is it? And mail order to Kauai takes forever. It's great to have your crafts goodies right away.
My four-year-old had an assignment to do while we were away on Kauai: hand-made Valentine's cards for his preschool classmates, due the day after we returned home. We visited the store and got a package of nice pink construction paper, a scissors (since we didn't think to bring one), and an assortment of Valentine-themed stickers.
I had my own craft project: replacing the cord that kept my wife's hat from blowing off her head. I got some decorative cord that made the hat look cooler than it had before the old cord started falling to pieces, and a sewing kit so I could do the repairs. (The kit's scissors was useless, but my boy's scissors did the job.)
My wife needed something here too: fountain pen ink. She didn't find the really fancy stuff she likes to write with, but they had a nice selection of colors of a more commonplace brand.
I kind of like the idea of a craft store sharing space with a hardware store. After all, some crafts use hardware store types of products. Carpentry is a craft, for example, and one can build a painter's from hardware store lumber.
The people here were friendly, and seemed familiar with both the crafts and the hardware sides of the store.
This is definitely the best arts and crafts supply store on the island, but competition is thin. The only other arts and crafts place on the island that I could find with a web search was actually a framing store, and doesn't even sell frames, except with its framing services.
Fortunately, although this store has no arts and crafts competition other than really slow mail order, it doesn't rest on its monopoly status. Prices are decent, the range of products for office is decent, and it has good employees.