One of the ways that the pandemic and higher rents have hurt NYC is by the decimation of classic…read moreneighborhoods. The garment district, or to you young uns, meatpacking, has suffered greatly. There have been many casualties for those that love to make things: a dearth of ostrich plumes for feather fans, closure of m&j trimmings' second room, and...bead stores. Gladly, the staff in the remaining trim stores are great pointing out new (to me) places. Tohoshoji has all your beading needs in one place. There are bins of beads, closures, strings of semi-precious stones, sew on rhinestones, and bead string. There are some lovely imitation glass (that means plastic, of course, but they look decent) beads in various flower patterns. There is a Japanese book store next door, and across the street in Bryant Park are the nicest public bathrooms in NYC. Take note that the store is not currently open on weekends, and they are still requiring masks.

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.

Situation: The windows caught my eye while passing through. My initial impression was that it was a…read moreparty supplies store, but upon closer inspection I discovered it was in fact that they sold primarily art supplies. PROS -Lots and lots and lots of notebooks. Big, small, modern, vintage, the whole shebang. Being the stationary junkie that I am who keeps collecting notebooks just because they are pretty is very pleased about this. -Interesting assortment: There's a hodgepodge of art supplies as well as some vaguely art-related stuff here. Sketchbooks. Scrapbook paper. Posterboard. Colouring utensils (e.g. artist-grade coloured pencils). General office stationary. Mini organizing drawers. Paper lanterns. Boxed greeting cards. A section of kids toys/gifts. Novelty & gag gifts. Pretentious fancy soaps. Books ranging from recently published stuff to stuff that looks like something the owner found it in his grandmother's untouched basement. Glass cases filled with (antique?) knick-knacks and expensive pens. CONS -Their hours are a little bizarre, I must admit (closed on the weekends??). So keep that in mind if you're planning a visit. -Crowded with merchandise and a little topsy-turvy: This place doesn't exactly have aisles. More like...lots of nooks and crannies. Don't bring a bulky handbag or anything like that if you plan to shop here-- you'll quickly create an avalanche O.o -Questionable prices: While most of the things I looked at seemed to be reasonably priced, there were a few items that made me raise my eyebrows. In a nutshell... Forget all notions you have of what an art supplies shop should look like. Go in with an open mind and when you have some time to leisurely peruse. It's a treasure hunt!

Ran over here after calling to check hours - Got there to…read morefind They were closed 45 minutes before closing time . Staff in the store waved me away... no signage about early hours, or extenuating circumstances. Spoke to a guy off-site on the phone who was super apologetic and nice, tried to offer to call the store and get me what I needed, but we had a few things we wanted to browse for - caught a staff member on the way out who didn't want to talk, but she eventually just said "we always close early" I think this stores main clientele are businesses in the area, not retail walk-ins, so cater your expectations... my only expectation was that they were open, since their phone system said so...

Came by looking for the hello Kitty New York pins and this place had tons of stuff. Lots of other…read morehello kitty New York items as well. There's a downstairs as well. Lots of books of course (American and Japanese) but also other Knick knacks like stationary items. Things were a bit on the pricier side but assuming that is due to things being from Japan. Worth the price to us!

Amazing spot. 1)…read moreMust visit if you are interested in Japanese and Anime related books and items. 2) The store is very well kept and I enjoyed my time. 3) They had a restroom which was clean, very appreciative of that.

Great selection of pottery glazes at best prices. excellent customer service. Free shipping over…read morecertain price point

This is a 2 floor location. Downstairs has all items like brushes, paints, frames, and more…read more Upstairs is more like little gifts, journals, planners, puzzle type things. They seem to have a well stocked and organized store. I have not been in a Blick's in forever. I could spend hours in it looking at all the art supplies and such. The staff seemed friendly and the atmosphere was fine.

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!

Good selection of stationary, pens and art supplies. While not many people are using a real pen…read moreanymore, they are great gifts and this place had a great selection. Their customer service is also really great which is the main reason I go back.

This store is out of business. When you go to their website it tell you the site is for sale. And…read moreif you try to call them on the listed phone number you are told this number is not in service. When I worked in the garment district I use to purchase nice pens and stationery.

5 Stars for an art supply shop that delivers on products and service…read more Blick is located in Chelsea, just across from the Chelsea Hotel. Inside, you find everything you'd expect from an art shop, well organized and clean. What sets this apart is the service. We were asked if we needed help be no fewer than 3 employees. They were so helpful and accommodating. Ultimately, we grabbed a few pens and sketchbooks and were off pretty quickly. Great shop!

My experience at Blick was grand. While they didn't have the exact pen I was looking for, the…read morefriendly clerk looked up alternatives, walked me over to the pen area, and described the other options they sold. I was invited to try out the pens, and the prices seemed quite reasonable. The pens have been pretty solid so far. Thanks Blick Art Materials!

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!

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!

Soho Art Materials is the best place to go as an artist. They service all the top artists in NYC…read morefor a reason. They have a wide array of materials, incredible service (ask for Gina who is extraordinary) and Jonny is the stretcher to the stars. Literally. A hidden gem for all artists.

Purchased a Tri-Mar painting stretcher that had a flaw. The plastic corner sections that are…read moreinserted into aluminum rails did not line up properly causing an uneven edge where the plastic meets the aluminum on all four sides. A big enough difference to be noticeable. They replied that this has never been an issue. I am not interested in paying for return shipping and their 20 % restocking fee on a flawed item. They thoughtfully responded to my issue within an hour but left me hanging.