I love shopping at Arch. The prices are a better value than most, and the selection is fantastic…read more I feel inspired coming to shop here. A person I used to work with brought me years ago, and I'm so glad! Plus the neighborhood has so many other great things, you can make it a destination for food and drinks after you're done. I appreciate that this isn't a chain. I don't really dig shopping at chains-it feels so impersonal to me. I feel like the level of service at them isn't quite the same. Glad this place is still around!!

What can I say. Every single time I come to this store to get supplies for my child who is an art…read morestudent we are never acknowledged when we walk in. Now this doesn't bother me until about 3rd /4th time. At about the 8th time visiting this store when we are leaving I hear the alt boy behind the counter pipe up and say "hello" to whoever walks in. It baffles me. I'm not wanting to be "instantly greeted" I don't want a red carpet, or some fake ass enthusiasm , but an even/ "do you need help" or "are you finding everything you're looking for" would be chill and friendly.

This place is so fun to explore, the aisles can get crowded but it's not too bad. Prices are…read moreaffordable and the staff is helpful.

Scrap is exactly what you think it is - odds and ends of art supplies (some new, mostly used or…read moreopen) for the crafty. There is also some original art for sale. Something for everyone to scratch that creative itch. There's a lot going on here but it's organized by category which is helpful. Also, there's an option to donate here which is always great! Agree with other reviewers that the area doesn't feel the safest and is a bit apocalyptic (barbed fence wires with no one walking around) but I think it adds to the charm of the place. Just don't recommend coming here at night and take an Uber/drive if you can as it's located in an industrial area.

helpful staff, lot of aisles…read more love the personal touch with the artwork of current and former staff on the pillars and on the walls! walk around and take your time to check them out too!

We had a priceless piece of art reframed as a shadow box. Although it looks classic and minimalist,…read moreit is actually a very technical framing job and one that is easy to mess up. But the execution was flawless and the result is impactful. Shout out to Kat, Cody and Melvin on the framing team that made this possible.

Staff knowledgeable and helpful in answering questions and making recommendations. Will be back due…read moreto the excellent customer service. Love that there is something for everyone in this shop to be creative.

I stumbled upon this art store a few years ago. Now that I live close by I stop by often. They have…read morea lot here. I'm mainly looking for watercolor selections. I can't always find what I am looking for and sometimes they are out of colors. But they have fun in person events and workshops that usually come with a shopping discount. The staff is knowledgeable and saved me from almost accidentally buying some gouache paints when I was looking for watercolor. They also helped me figure out the best medium for painting on yoga mats.

I went back today to take advantage of the huge Blick sale. Wow great prices!…read more Being a newbie, I really didn't know where to start but had a list from my art teacher with the colors and types of paints to get. One of the staff (an asian woman- didnt' get her name) was so nice to help me find the exact colors I needed and patiently explained the sales and discount pricing for the huge aisle of liquitex acrylic paints. Then when I got to the counter (albeit really overwhelmed by too many choices) Jayy was at the counter and smiled and was a calm beacon to my shopping anxiety and confusion - with only like 20? minutes left until closing time! She painstakingly helped me look at each of the colors my art teacher wanted me to get and helped me choose two paint sets that I could afford that met my criteria for both watercolor and for acrylics. Jayy sat there patiently scanning and calculating all the different permutations of paints and even gave me advice about what colors to get now vs maybe later when I save more money up! She even helped me maximize my discount and coupons. WOW. Jayy was so knowledgeable about the colors and types of paints I needed and this AMAZING experience was why I was SO GLAD I went iN PERSON to the store! thank you thank you Jayy for making my shopping experience so much less stressful!!!

All ready for a new art project. My favorite place to go. Ben was so helpful and getting me the…read morebest item to use. The art work on the walls are so inspiring. I think I can find everything under the sun there with so mush selection and at a great value too.

We were greeted by the shop dog, what an adorable gentle giant! The store is filled with treasures…read moreand everything you'd need for different art projects. We had so much fun browsing the store and ended up picking up a variety of gifts. It was hard not to buy a bunch of things for myself though. I really liked the Studio Ghibli themed items and the miniatures they had available. We also ended up getting some Daruma dolls here. I felt like the pricing on the items was fair and what I'd expect to pay. The convenience of having so much in one space is amazing though. All the staff members in the store were upbeat and friendly and they're happy to help you find anything you're looking for.

Paper Tree is a family owned arts and crafts store that specializes in origami paper and the store…read moreis located in Japan Center in San Francisco's Japantown. The store was founded in 1968 and is the second oldest business in Japantown. Currently the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the original co-founder, Nobuo Mihara, continue to run the store. [Parking]: There are two parking garages within a few blocks away from the store - The Main Garage (1610 Geary Boulevard) and The Fillmore Annex Garage (1650 Fillmore Street). Parking rate = $5 per hour from 12 PM to 6 PM and $3 per hour outside of those hours. I got lucky and was able to find metered parking spots near the intersection of Buchanan St and Sutter St (free on Sunday). [What to Expect]: The store has a really large selection of origami paper. In addition, it also carries 3D / 2D stickers, classic Japanese art prints, noshi envelopes, handcrafted pressed-flower cards, adult anime T-shirts, coloring / origami books, socks, stationery, fabrics for furoshiki, etc. There is also a sign stating "Beware of the Dog" with Moira (a 2-year old Irish Wolfhound) hanging out at the store. [Conclusion]: I am not sure if this shop is worth driving out of the way just to check it out unless you are a passionate origami enthusiast, but it is worth stopping by if you are already in San Francisco's Japantown. P.S. - Paper Tree used to have a sister store in Berkeley called Miki's Paper which focused on paper gallery and Japanese papers, but the shop closed after COVID.

This place is next to the matcha store…read more I could spend hours here! Their shelves are stocked with stationary from local small businesses like @palett.es , atelier by Jo, @faithcaoculator. I don't have to wait for SJ made to come around any more! I picked up some cute cards, stickers, and the viral build a room using stickers sticker sheet. I barely made it past the cards and stickers after 30 minutes. The items are a bit pricy but that's the general trend of stickers and cards from smaller creators. I'll check out the other half of the store next time.

I think I was probably much more enamored by Mai Do here before they started proliferating in SoCal…read moreand then SoCal started having giga huge Kinokuniya that already incorporate Mai Do into their stock, but it's nice to have a standalone stationary shop as well, especially if it means more varied and unique stock. I like that this location has items from local small businesses and artists too. I know SJ Made gets fisted in Bay Area and there's not as much space and many recurring events, so having physical spots to purchase and support these creatives is great. There's stickers, special paper, journals and journaling tools, writing and drawing utensils, sticky notes, ink and fancy ink pens, planners, and much, much more, including little trinkets, gifts, blind boxes, keychains, etc. So you can get something for yourself or you can get something as a gift for someone else. It can get a bit pricey though. With some small notebooks being $10 and a fancier keychain being around $20. Really depends on what you're looking at, how high quality it is, if it's imported in, etc. Staff can get swamped helping customers check out, but they'll do their best to answer your questions!

Case for Making (CfM) is a woman-owned watercolor specialty shop. You can find its handmade…read morewatercolors at places like the SFMOMA Museum Store and select arts and crafts stores, but this location is CfM's brick-and-mortar shop. This small business makes its own watercolors and letterpress paper goods. CfM watercolors are made from high-quality pigments and natural binding mediums (gum arabic, glycerin, honey, distilled water, and clove oil). Some CfM watercolors are more expensive than others because colors like Malachite and Lapis Lazuli are made from actual crushed minerals. Please note that their watercolors are priced similarly to other premium watercolor brands like Stoneground Paint Company and Beam Paints. [Best seller]: The CfM Small Palette (fits up to 14 half pans and has room in the center for a small travel brush) and the CfM Simple Travel Palette (small enough to fit in a purse or pocket) are some the top favorites. [Workshops]: CfM offers online workshops via Zoom as well as in-person classes at its new studio next door - the CfM Art Room. [Parking]: Street parking only, but not impossible to find an available spot in this part of the neighborhood. In addition, the shop is located near the Judah St & 46th Ave streetcar stop. [In-store]: Customers can choose a tin and build their own watercolor set. The store also sells sketchbooks, art supplies, stationery, Toyo toolboxes, stickers, etc. [Conclusion]: An amazing shop and definitely worth checking this shop out for watercolor enthusiasts, but this is an alright shop for those looking for unique stationery options.

I've had a mixed experience here however, after a really uncomfortable experience with management I…read morethought I'd share my experience as a cautionary tale to other artists who might want to get involved with this studio. The water colors are special they have really good opacity and sit well on top of the paper. They might not have as nice of translucency as other brands. However they are really expensive and there are other products that are available for cheaper and comparable quality on the market. However, the staff can be aloof and rude within the store. The teachers are generally sweet and supportive and classes are affordable. After multiple positive class experiences, I had inquired about teaching as I have been doing art for a while and really wanted to give back to my community and share what I know I'm good at. The application to get involved process was odd, they were slow to respond, but also rude and unprofessional. It upfront on their goals and processes. I was not notified that there was a already an established class nearly identical to my proposal prior to filling out a lengthy application. I was also told they didn't want to move forward because I lacked an established creative arts background (while not inquiring directly about a CV), which was later amended to they were unable to move forward due to scheduling and volume of inquiries (while only offering 3 in person classes that month instead of the standard dozen). I have no issue with being rejected, it's all about fit anyways, but was saddened to have my creative experience being belittled and the lack of professionalism. It was just a very odd and condescending experience that I would not want any artist that puts their heart and soul into a proposal to have to experience.

At time of writing, the address has not yet been updated on Yelp (I just put in the change request)…read more= current address is 535 Grant St at the back of a souvenir store. So glad to find it - loads of quality supplies for calligraphy / ink painting and a nice guy who demonstrated (and let me try) different brushes to help me make my decisions. Lovely experience. Will definitely be returning for materials in the future. Recommend!

Large selection of Chinese art supplies with a very helpful service for figuring out what to buy!…read moreDefinitely worth a trip!

This is a special place for San Francisco. They have it all for designing your costume off the wall…read morehair colors . Plushy animals are everywhere fabric dyes and fabric flowers . . The list goes on and on . It's just a really fun San Francisco type place that has been here as long as I can remember and that's a very long time .A very cool store with caring and dedicated workers. I truly hope and pray that it stays after I'm gone. The prices are definitely fair especially in this market. There is as far as I know no other place in San Francisco either these items . They sadly are all gone years ago . If you have the time come check them out . A great craft store for sewing, clay work etc . Just a really fun place

They have a glorious collection of tools for so many crafts. There are enough staff so you can…read morefind some One to tell you where something is or give you advice on what you should use. It is an old Haight St. store which I think has been in the neighborhood as long as I have (1959 for me)