I am SHOCKED that no one has rated this business. When you first walk in you see one or two guys,…read moreand I thought uh oh this ain't gonna be good. Then they greet you and ask if you need something. It's very small the place, but everything is neatly organized. Then... I asked for help finding something. Not only did the guys show me what I asked for, but told me of ways of using it and what else would be good. They were honest on the quality of some items (for example, wire cutters - you can go with a cheap one, but the quality of this other one is good because of xyz.) They sell beading needles, findings, beads as well. I gotta be honest, I don't go there for the beads, so I cannot rate the beads in anyway. I go there for the wires, tools, and some findings (clasps, etc.) The help they provide and knowledge is just wonderful. The prices are also not bad. Note that parking during the week is almost impossible, and if you park in the wrong place the cops are really quick to give you a ticket. Mass transit is the way to go on going to this store.

Elvee Rosenberg misrepresents some of their vintage beads. Many of their beads ARE NOT vintage…read moreJapanese from the 1960's but much more recent beads made in India. I'm not sure how dumb they think people are but they can't fool everyone!

Toho Shoji has a great collection of MIYUKI and Delica beads! They don't have Toho!! The employee…read morewas super helpful when addressing my questions because when I first arrived, I didn't know where to find the toho beads! The value is standard for NYC, a little more pricey but generally in step with the market for US!

I've loved Toho Shoji since their days on 36th St. and 6th Ave, been shopping here since I was 16…read more They're the only bead and trimming store from that era still standing, and I've always appreciated their consistency. Kazumi has been my favorite manager for years--our encounters are always joyful--and today I also met Tamaki, who had a wonderful, welcoming presence. Normally my visits are a 9-10/10, but this time fell short due to Kaoru's behavior. After I politely declined a tray in the crystal section, she sucked her teeth and muttered something under her breath. Later at checkout, Kaoru -- a woman with a bob haircut) -- ignored my question until I repeated it, tossed my receipt at me, didn't bag my items, and walked away when I asked her name, telling me "it wasn't necessary". I also couldn't help but notice I was the only one who looked like me in the store at the time, which made the interaction feel targeted. This was especially disappointing because every other transaction I've had here has been handled with care. As a loyal, long-time customer, I hope Kaoru's attitude improves, because the warmth and professionalism I've consistently received from Kazumi and Tamaki are what make Toho Shoji such a special place.

I absolute love Michaels as it has everything you could need to craft and be creative. Their…read morecoupons aren't as good nowadays as they used to be and I don't have as much time as I used to have either but I still love coming here and browsing. The store layout here is a big congested and feel the checkout area and online order area could be better designed. I placed an order online for store pickup and it was ready in less than 10 minutes after I placed the order, which was quite impressive (I couldn't go until a few days later). The pickup area is located to your left as soon as you get off the escalators. There really wasn't a shelf to get your items and your bags situated after you pick up your item and the waiting area was quite small. No one was there when I went to pick up but a line of about 5 people behind me formed as I got my item making it a bit tricky to navigate to leave the area while also trying to stuff my item into my bags. The general checkout area was quite tight as well. It's long and it's sometimes hard to see if a self checkout counter is open. Self checkout itself is pretty easy to use and I like how the machine is able to detect if the handheld scanner was properly placed back in its slot before it moves forward with checking you out. I was able to find my account easily and apply all my coupons during my transaction. The staff I asked about inventory were quite knowledgeable and were able to point me to the right aisle to get the things I needed. things were well stocked and neatly displayed as well.

I appreciate arts and crafts stores though mainly rating 3 stars because sadly this is the only…read moreMichael's store left in Manhattan, which unfortunately means certain areas of the store can get really picked over--especially seasonal items--right before peak holidays. To some degree I understand that many retailers are tighter on inventory to reduce how much needs to be sold at deeper discounts after certain holidays are over. However this also means certain things run out and there's no selection left which could also mean lost sales, which was the case when I came to look for a couple Christmas-related products a week before Christmas and much of that section looked decimated outside of wrapping paper, kitchen/dining supplies, some decorations and wearable accessories. They were already setting up for Valentine's Day. Walking around the store, I still appreciated that this location is still around, it's been a while since I've visited so I was glad to see still a strong selection of frames, scrapbooking supplies, paints, yarns and ribbons/trimmings. They also installed more self-service checkout machines. The shopping stop wasn't altogether unfruitful in that I picked up a pack of baked goods boxes (to place home-made cookies/pastries inside before gifting to others). I hope next time to find more of what I need!

Exactly what I was expecting: a real store, with real people, having expertise, and a wide…read moreselection. I went in with a general idea of what I needed for a portfolio to use at a job fair. The manager helped me hone in on a vintage '80's indigo pad. Looks so much better that your standard, big box store options. (Although they have those too.) Was already in a condition that looked new. He also inspected it, and made sure it was freshened up. So, it really popped. They also have all the Pentel's--picked up one of those. As well as, a wide selection of pencils, pens, fountain pens, stationary, ledgers, printer toner, other printer needs, and many other treasures. Classic Manhattan store, in a great location in the Diamond District. I will definitely come again.

Went down to Phil's a couple times during my lunch break. The heavy door makes it feel like a haven…read morefrom the cold. Phil has stacks of many different types of paper. Phil is helpful and gave me interesting insight into the people that buy his paper. There is great paper here and good objects for measuring and working with paper. I reccomended !

Kinokuniya has a place in my heart as I've been coming since I was a student and would used to buy…read moreJapanese fashion magazines and beauty books. How times have changed with print media! Now, the magazine section is tucked in a smaller corner and they sell a lot more merchandise outside of books in the basement area. There is also an art book section which was previously not there - I enjoyed looking at these plus the magazines on interior design. When I'm in the area, I enjoy coming in to browse and get inspiration.

I've been to kinokuniya before and it always has a special place in my heart because I love the…read morehuge collection of manga, anime figurines, the most adorable stationary and Asian book series. The upper level has the cafe (which I didn't get to try since they opened at 11) and manga/figurines. The main level was mostly books from all different genres. Bottom level was stationary and plushies. I took a star off because I had a stroller with me and the elevator only goes to the bottom floor where the stationary is. To get to the second floor there's an escalator which is nice but to get back down you have to take the stairs which you can imagine is not comfortable with a stroller.

M&J is one of those garment district institutions that's been around for nearly 90 years. They've…read morealways been one of the larger stores with a very broad assortment of sewing and design accessories--everything from hundreds of ribbons (may thousands), trims, decals, rhinestones, fabrics, supportive inner garment materials, buttons, hair/costume jewelry components, the list goes on. Agree with some other reviews in that it's one of the pricier stores though you pay for the wide variety--hard to beat their selection. The course of time hasn't been kind to local production. Back in the 1820s up until the early 1980s, when mass garment production stateside was booming in NYC, the garment district employed up to 46% of the city's industrial workforce. There was a need to design and purchase materials nearby, and the majority of Manhattan's midtown west side was dedicated to factories and design studios. Fast fwd to now, that statistic is much different and given the availability of online and global sources, not everyone needs to go into a physical store to purchase their needs. While many products have long moved to overseas sourcing, for anyone who's endeavored DIY arts and crafts, or even made any functional product by hand, it's much different seeing and feeling a material in person than on a screen. That's where in this past century, stores like M&J played a vital role in the fabric of the garment district. They are also a valuable resource to the numerous design students at FIT, Parsons, etc. During past decade many a longtime stalwart trim store have disappeared from the neighborhood and M&J is the latest casualty. If you are interested in sewing or design notions, now's your chance to pick up items at their going-out-of-business sale.

This place has been going out of business for a while, but I'm grateful it's still open. Good place…read morefor velvet ribbons and other notions.

The best! The League…read morehas many art supplies in a compact space - very helpful staff too

Beautiful small art store with an awesome selection of items. Always a stop for us when we are in…read morethe city!

Spacious with lots of room to craft away! My partner and I had a blast customizing our new italian…read morebracelets. Employees were nice and accommodating!

A craft/jewelry haven . Enormous selection of beads, charms and all things shiny. Novices and…read moreadvanced makers will feel comfortable here. They staff is helpful and will guide you if are new to jewelry making. It's a great place to spend some solo time and also for a date or group activity. Prices are reasonable and you're sure to make a piece or two without breaking the bank. A session or gift card from Bead Kraft would make a great gift for all ages. They are not localized on the ground floor but there are elevators .

My friends had set up a private class at Doclay for my bachelorette, which is honestly everything…read morethat I wished for. It was so fun getting to make our first potteries together, and the instructor, Iso was such a vibe; I loved her quirky uplifting spirit. She even made me a cute pottery to take home. She did her best to teach us the basics, but when there's a group of 9 people, I think it's just difficult to tend to everyone, so some people were struggling. I don't think anyone in my party left feeling satisfied with their work. It also sucked that a chunk of our booked time was allotted for cleaning up. It seems like that's the norm for pottery classes, but again, with that many of us, we wasted a lot of time just trying to take turns at the sink to clean up. Still, the experience was not bad at this point. We were excited to see the final results once they were glazed and colored. However, everything went downhill after we left the place. When I went there to pick up the potteries, everything was a mess. It was super difficult trying to find everyone's work admist a bunch of other potteries. With zero organization, it's no wonder they lost my sister's. So, they said they'll try to look for it and if they can't find it, they'll make her a new one. While it's nice that they rectified the situation by offering to make her a new one, that really defeats the purpose of taking the pottery class. Why not just go to the ceramics store instead? It would've been better if they offered to give her a free class to make a new one. At the end of it all, they couldn't find her work, so they made her a new one. But the process to receiving that new one took a while.

유익한 수업. 직원들이 친절하고 분위기가 좋음. 최고의 도자기랜드, 추천합니다…read more Great community with helpful staff. Would recommend.

Color Me Mine is a great place to unwind and tap into your creative side. The concept is…read morestraightforward: you pick a piece of pottery, paint it however you wish, and after it's fired in the kiln, you take it home. I came here for their Holiday paint-your-own ceramic ornament. For this particular workshop you can choose between quick-dry acrylics or glaze and fire option. The staff is friendly and helpful, and they regularly check in to offer suggestions and guidance. You do not need to have any experience at all. Overall, 5 stars for a fun activity.

I recently went to Color Me Mine and overall it was fine, but I did have one uncomfortable…read moreinteraction. It was very crowded and all the staff seemed busy, so I reached for some paint on my own. A staff member then abruptly took it out of my hand and told me I should ask someone next time. I understand the policy, but the way it was communicated felt rude and a bit condescending. It could have been handled more politely, especially given how busy it was. After this interaction I felt pretty uncomfortable there.