They have a glorious collection of tools for so many crafts. There are enough staff so you can find 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) read more

As a regular SF tourist and crafter, I ALWAYS visit this place when I'm in SF! It's got a fun selection of a bit of everything. They have a lot of costume-making supplies and a huge selection of colorful faux fur! I always find things there that I don't normally see in my local craft stores! You can feel the joy that is SF Pride in this store! I love it! read more

Mendel's - Faux fur anyone? - Fabric Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

When you need a certain color of felt or a specific needle in a hurry, it is such a joy to actually go into a store and pick it out in person instead of trolling the web. The staff is amazingly helpful and they stock quite a wide range of crafting / art supplies. Fabric supply is limited but they have all of the faux fur options you could ever ask for. Halloween, sorted! read more

Wow service was so rude here! We try and support local businesses and they clearly have no idea what customer service is here!! The young blonde lady working the cash register today should be taught a lesson on how to speak to customers read more

I'll start my review like many others. stating that I've been a customer since I moved to the neighborhood in 1995, but customer loyalty means far less to this business than the almighty dollar or providing anything resembling customer service. My original "real time" story was too long to post here, so I'll try again with the highlights. 1. Male, bearded cashier returned items for store credit for hot young customer directly in front of me. 2. At my turn, cashier stated that w/o receipt there was "no way to know if I ACTUALLY PURCHASED the items" I was trying to return FOR STORE CREDIT, implying that I could have shoplifted them. 3. After clarifying that this was what he was implying, and after continued unprofessional name calling and berating from the cashier, I asked to s/w the manager. THE ENTIRE 3-4 min I was dealing w/her, he continued to namecall, shame and finger point (literally), at me, standing directly to her right, sneering and snickering at me, hurling insults (apparently he found my "going over his head" to the manager the ultimate insult to his fragile manhood) while bouncing up and down on his toes like a crazy person, INSTEAD of ringing up customers. This created such a line and scene that I eventually lost my patience and yelled "PLEASE STOP TALKING TO ME!! STOP ENGAGING WITH ME AND DO YOUR JOB RINGING UP CUSTOMERS!! YOUR MANAGER IS HANDLING IT", which then infuriated him further and he continued to spit insults at me (remember, this is all for me having the GAUL to try and return something w/o a receipt), AND THE MANAGER NEVER SAID A WORD TO HIM. I obviously left feeling browbeat, after having been verbally abused for 5 min, and I DID NOTHING WRONG. I'm sad to no longer be able to patronize this establishment since they had supplied my arts and crafts needs for 30 years, but for ANY business to let an employee talk to a customer that way is simply inexcusable. read more

Big messy glorious art craft store. Everyone was helpful helping me find what I needed. This place is a joy.

My girlfriend sent me to Mendel's to buy supplies for her. I unfortunately chose the wrong items and went to return them. Naomi the owner stated firmly the store credit only policy while in the same breath admitted she has made exceptions. Not today apparently. I tried to explain and patiently waited for her to accommodate my request. Naomi refused to help out, telling me she will not refund my money ($60.06). I asked to speak with someone else and her answer was, "the only person above me is God." Terrible customer service. Very disappointed with Mendel's because I only shop local, and Mendel's was not very neighborly to me (and my girlfriend). Don't shop here ~ Flax is better. *update after being ignored by the entire staff, I went to shop my $60.06 credit then & there and just get past this unfortunate situation. What happens next? An unsecured wall shelf fell onto me, banged my head & knocked my glasses clear off my head. Naomi, the owner, reluctantly asked if I was OK, then mockingly asked if I wanted medical attention. Lady Naomi, I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow afternoon because my head hasn't stopped throbbing from the impact of your unfasten shelf. This isn't over. Forget that Mendel's actively practices poor customer service. The space is not safe. It's over crowded. Large wall displays are not secured to the wall. Even their aisle displays are haphazard obstacles. Will update soon. read more

Mendel's is nice and a craft store or variety store. It's on Haight Street and I had fun browsing because I don't visit that much. They have art supplies and gifts. I decided to get a craft art canvas mini at 5x5 for $1.90 with tax. It was a small purchase and it's fun to visit Mendel's San Francisco. read more

Mendel's - Fabric Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stay away! Katie(from what I remember) at the front desk straight up lied about the return policy and when I actually went back to exchange the wrong item I bought (after she told me it was okay to exchange if it's not the right product). She completely flipped on me and said she's not going to return anything and that's the store policy. Stay away from them very bad customer relations and they will scam you for every small thing they can. read more

After a long boycott and dry spell from this place, I figured the only craft store near me deserved another shot. So here's the thing: The staff was much better today. And by staff, I mean the nice man in back who helped me with fabrics. He generally waited and watched while I browsed, and he went to ask whether the store had any chrome series sewing needles, or planned to get them. He wasn't, let's just say, the most knowledgeable about fabrics? But he knew enough to help me out, and as I said, his attention was in the right place. The other criticisms I had about Mendel's--a generally disengaged staff and high prices--I stand by what I said. Retail is a crappy spot to be in, especially for crafting, where Amazon sells a lot of the same supplies for half the price. The reason I have been extremely loyal to Cliff's Variety and Fabric Outlet, however, is the sense of family and community when I am in there. The staffers all know my face and give a look like "oh what's he going to make today." Mendel's has always felt pretty lifeless. I feel like this is an ownership and upper management problem... you can't really go to staff and tell them to be more cohesive without actually incentivizing that sort of behavior. Anyways Mendel's I do appreciate the help today and the nice man who helped me. I'll probably come around again sometime soon. read more

Mendel's - Fabric Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

I love this place, they have anything you might need for your crafts/DIY projects, from fabrics to all sorts of paints, and the stuff is very helpful read more

While I know it's been hard for businesses during the pandemic, I have discovered (and re-discovered) many local businesses as a result of it. Mendel's is one of these, a place I had walked by many times but didn't have a need to visit. During the pandemic, it's been a great resource for craft and art supplies. Mendel's could be easily missed from the outside, but is quite sizeable both in its space and selection. They seem to have all of your essential craft and arts supplies. My partner and I have come here several times for things like buttons, metal nose bars for homemade masks, scrap books, etc. In the far back of the store, they also have a big section of wigs and other costume related items. I imagine this section isn't in as quite a bit of demand as it was pre-pandemic but I'm sure it will be popping again at some point. Definitely recommend Mendel's as your first stop for any of the above items--keep Haight St businesses going! read more

Good variety of art supplies and goodies. I stopped in twice recently and was helped super quick and found just what I was looking for. I'm not artsy or knowledgeable about the paint I was looking for and the recommendations were great. read more

I went to Mendel's to purchase an assortment of different art supplies, in June 2023 which was amazing. My first time there and they had everything I was looking for and so much more. There were about 4 employees who couldn't have been more polite, patient, and very professional. The prices were extremely reasonable and ran the gamut from a few dollars to not much more. However, items such as fabric, art tools cost a bit more, and still not too bad. It is a one-stop art supply store for beginners and more advanced art enthusiasts! I will be back regularly. Nicholas read more

Mendel's a great place to shop for arts and crafts. Amazing selection of fake fur and fabric. read more

Super great customer service, Lila helped me find everything I needed and was knowledgeable on the products. The fabric selection is absolutely amazing, a little pricey, but you can tell it is good quality. Will be coming back! read more

I usually go to this place when I'm around the area after class there's one gentleman usually at the registers really nice but there's a female staff member that makes the vibe inside uncomfortable following me around the store all the time, asking me if I needed help with anything I would've found this super normal up until I realized it was only me she was approaching and not the other guests idk it felt bias in my experience. read more

Mendel's is an institution on Haight St. As someone who lives real close to it and has no car, its come in handy for crafty/creative emergencies. Although it doesn't have everything (I don't expect it to honestly b/c its small and crafting/art items are endless), it has a good assortment of art supplies including an entire fabric section. During COVID, I was able to very easily order for a contactless pickup, which was greatly appreciated. For people saying the staff is rude. We all have bad days in working in retail and I can only image the troubles Haight St. brings to a walk-in retail business. read more

I was pleasantly surprised with the wide variety of supplies this store carried! They had the basics but other things I hadn't seen before for different categories. They had really good prices too! There's definitely a variety with cost and supplies. The customer service was good too, they were kind and welcoming, didn't bother me much while I was shopping. read more

This stupid bitch with a shaved pink head was so rude to me today. I wanted to buy some micron pens but she was so rude that I just walked out the store. They didn't have much selection anyways so better that I take my business elsewhere. I asked her a simple question when I walked in and she made me repeat myself 4 or 5 times before rudely telling me no they don't sell copic markers. After today I will never come back to Mendels again. I'm sure even if management sees this they don't give a shit considering how poorly run the store is. read more

I came in looking for fabric. The staff was friendly & their selection was fairly small, but some they had some fun prints among their cottons & remnants. I couldn't resist one yard of a couple of bolts, & a few remnants. Pricing was ok, $12-$14/yard. read more

It's nice to have an arts and crafts store in this area. Very appropriate. Especially for those sunny 'green' days, when the creative juices are flowing and you have the urge to get down to some messy glue coated collages, to paint your bed, make some clothes...etc. Though Mendel's paint and art selection could be bigger, they don't tout themselves as a be-all art store, and they continue to be a solid option for most whimsical artistic fancies... ...and if you splurge enough - they'll even give you a handy tote. read more

My moms friend owns this place. Super nice. I have been getting my yarn from here since I started crocheting rather than getting it from a big Business. read more

Somewhat limited in fine art and hand-sewing supplies. Seems more to have a selection geared toward party and costume ware. Staff is helpful, not overly friendly. read more

This place is really dirty and doesn't look acceptable to even shop at in the first place, unless you're looking for Covid! They did not have Odorless Turpentine... in an art store???? I had a pleasure to speak to the owner for a minute, Naomi and God forbid, I would never want to speak to this person again - terrible customer service - just wow. never ever again. read more

I'm not a crafty person at all. I'm making a tutu for a 90s party I'm throwing (I'm going to be the bee from the Blind Melon video) and I just didn't know what to do. It was hard to flag someone down, but it turned out that they were short staffed that day. The person measuring the tulle was helpful and explained to me how to make a no-sew tutu. I then proceeded to pick out the elastic band and waited at another table to get it measured. He saw that I was waiting, and quickly measured it out for me. As far as prices, I guess it would be cheaper at a Michael's, but I don't have a car so this place worked out for me. The total was $11.40 for 10 yards of tulle, pipe cleaners and 1 yard of the elastic band. I don't think that's bad at all. read more

I've been coming here ever since I was a little kid growing up in the Haight and it still is my one-stop shopping destination for turning a good Halloween costume into a great one. they have everything. and most of all they are very VERY helpful and knowledgeable So dudes, if you are like the majority of us who haven't a clue which glue gun temperature works better with which fabric or material, or how to stitch leather...well, okay... maybe that's the minority of guys here in this city... Mendel's in here to save you. only downside, it isn't as cheap as a Michaels, but it's local and convenient and they have lots of weird stuff (like crazy crab hats for the Giants games or a pimk feather boa for your best bro's bachelor party) read more

Stopped in to find some material for a collage book I've been working on for my son's birthday. I used to go in here quite a bit back in 82! Only thing that's really changed are the prices! But I think they're more reasonable than other art material stores. I found some nice hand-made paper and binding for under $20. The staff leaves you alone. I had to ask the fellow at the counter where to look for collage material. I wasn't approached by anyone the whole time (20 minutes) I was in the store. But I'm happy with what I got and the do have a good stock of material. I didn't go upstairs to the fabric section. I bet it's a zoo in here leading up to Halloween! read more

Mendel's - Fabric Stores Near Me - San Francisco, California

The staff were l very helpful, unfortunately, the supply of goods they had to sell was limited to mostly tacky costume fabrics available. This is the store for children's parties burning man and other throwaway fashion. If you're looking for something quality, this is not it. read more

After looking at some of the other reviews, it seems like I'm not the only one who has dealt with rude staff and management. I came in to buy a color of spray paint, and the front desk clerk recommended the wrong color. I must admit, partly it was my fault for not making sure to check the color more thoroughly and I could have used better judgment. But when I got home and used the color it was apparent that it was entirely wrong. I called the store to try and request a refund, expressing my frustration about how the staff had been unhelpful and directed me toward the wrong product. The manager was extremely rude, and ended up hanging up on me. Really not the way to handle a situation, it's pretty unprofessional to be so rude about a $13 refund request. I won't be shopping here again. read more

A huge place with tons of square footage filled with absolutely nothing really. How does a place like this exist? Why don't they utilize the space better? This place is huge with not that much product inside. There was some spray paint, arts and crafts and woven fabrics by the yard in the back. How does this place survive in this day and age?! read more

One of a few hobby stores left in the city. Skip Amazon and Michael's and support this business!

Oh boy. Interesting to see the reviews from the past several years. I used to shop here 1981 to 1986. Has anything changed? Probably not. But I wanted to comment that even as long ago as the 1980's the owners of this shop were open about stating that they would not be in business if not for the fact that they owned their building. They would talk about it then in front of customers. It was indeed expensive and a random selection of fabrics. I remember buying Japanese cottons that were $15.00/yard which I thought was pricey. Easier now to buy nice fabric online. read more

I rarely bother with reviews, but, this was second time I had dealt with the rude owner. 1st time I needed help finding fabric a few weeks ago. She was "curt" with me. 2nd time was today with a return item. They refused to return it because it was opened. It was a small sewing tool that was the wrong item for my needs. I could only know this by opening the package. It was only $2.00, so no big loss. But, she was so very rude about it. I don't know how she stays in business with her rude attitude. I thought she was the manager. No, she's the owner. She doesn't seem to care about customer service because her store is in a prime location. I live in the neighborhood so would shop there often. No more. Not worth the hurt feelings that come with such encounters. read more

It was a typical fabric store but there was an employee that was beign way ruder then he should have been to be honest. Ask him if there was a bathroom but amd he took a very long pause to stare and me and was like.... "Umm no" so unless your into hippies that are crazy about fabric dont go here to check it out Your way better off just going to your own local fabric store where people are actually passionate about crafts. Also again if your not into hippies dont go here people where following me inside the store ! read more

I've been coming to Mendels for quite some time since it's the closest art supply shop to me, and have never really had positive experiences because of the unfriendly woman boss (I think she's the boss she seems to be in charge). Lately I've been helped by a guy named Brian and he's made my experience shopping there feel worth it lol. He cut ribbon for me todayand helped me find the right wire for my art projects. Shoutout this friendly guy for being the reason I go back read more

"Honey, I tried to make it work. Now I'm just sorry to realize I was the only one trying." You got pretty material, but you sho ain't the only one. I will never EVER come back to your skanknasty ass~itude as long as I live and breathe, even if you were the only place with fabric on the planet I would weave plastic shreds, metal shrapnel or even asshairs together rather than submit myself to your disdain one more time. Absolute worst service ever, with 'highlights' of our relationshit being ignored, outright snubbed, followed like a shoplifter and playing the part of shugamomma for far too long... there is a limit to the goodness of a human heart and you have found it, Mendels. The last straw was CHARGING ME FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S EXPENSIVE SHIT I WOULD NEVER BUY {near $90}, AND SLIPPING IT INTO MY PURCHASE WHILE I'M DIGGING OUT MY C.C. AMID HELLIDAY HURRY THEN REFUSING TO TAKE THOSE ITEMS OFF WHEN I CHECKED MY BAG {as I do everywhere} *BEFORE* LEAVING THE END OF THE LINE!!! I still cain't believe the superior snottitude of the 'manager' as I acknowledged it might be an easy mistake to her to make at the register, then reduced to outright haggling with her, as the b!tch straight tried to dupe me into leaving without recompense~shiesty shady lady! Ended up selling store cred to hopeful would~be customer for less than it's worth in front of her at the door while she tried to tell the would be she wouldn't honor her own store cred. Take that for what it's worth, and watch that register like a hawk! WTF... It's over, gold diggah. read more

Wanna be a tropical rain forest? I do. And lots of other things, which is why this is one of my go-to shops when prepping for any costume adventure. Although the prices are higher than most craft stores, they are stalked with a wide variety of items (though not much "depth" within categories). You can nearly always find something useful along the lines of your crafty machinations. Staff is very hit or miss, which a bit of a downside for a craft store, since usually you need some help with ideas on how to actualize your sequin bedazzled, streamer-laden, feather boa sportin' whozit whatits. Today's visit brought me to two very patient staffers and one lazy primadonna: Helpful gal 1: Patiently measuring out 5 and 10 yards of several beaded & sequined ribbons. (Bonus points for Helpful gal 1b coming over to help out her coworker measure.) Answering several questions on where to find certain items. Helpful gal 2: Smiling! (Can be unusual around here.) Measured out cloth. Then later, held a measuring tape around my head, helping me work out the wiring for the rain part of my costume. Primadonna guy at register: Messily/haphazardly pulling out the beads/sequin ribbons, thereby jumbling and knotting the neatly arranged pile made by Helpful gal 1. Asking his coworker to bag for him. Asking me to replace the basket in front. These last two are perfectly normal requests. Just not so inspired when they come with his cooler-than-thou attitude. More Helpful gal 1 & 2 please! Tropical rain forest, here I come! read more

So, This year, wanting something more than the standard offerings from papersource, I decided to construct my own valentines. I'm a crafty chick. I used to watch 'Next Door With Katie Brown'. I have this amazingly talented friend that 'divas it out' every year at Burning Man. The girl works it with 3 costume changes a day complete with wigs,makeup and accessories. She. Is. Fierce. How hard could a few personalized valentines be? Mendel's bountiful offerings had me giggling like a schoolgirl. The shop was awash in wall-to-wall red and overrun with valentine paraphernalia: cute stick-on baby cupids, heart shaped stencils, lace cutouts, foil heart stickers, and my personal fave GLITTAH!!!(cue jazz-hands) . I happily skipped out the store with provisions in tow: glue stick, l yard lace overlay material, 1 yard fuzzy and glittery felt-type material, 1 bottle fabric glue, 1 red sharpie, 1 sheet red construction paper, 1 bag heart shaped confetti, and 2 tubes glitter. The finished product was a testament to all things sanctioned as adorable by baby cupid. In other words a gaudy apparition of fuzzy felt and lots and lots of GLITTAH!!! Side note: Excess glitter has taken over all corners of my room. . . . read more

My experiences at Mendel's have ranged from helpful and successful to frustrating and disappointing on a pretty regular basis. My first time in was the day before Halloween, and the place was /packed/ . I (and the rest of town) needed last-minute pieces for my Halloween costume and I braved the only craft store around because it HAD TO BE DONE. I wasn't expecting much success, but to my surprise they had everything I needed (round papier mache box, poster paint, hot pink ribbon, and most importantly -- a wig cap!) AND the employees were managing to be helpful and upbeat while still directing all the shopping traffic. I was very impressed. However, I once made another visit with a slightly odd craft in mind, but something I knew I could do. This time I had to really set out and find someone to help me, and when she did she pretty openly scoffed at my idea for what I wanted to work on. (I may or may not have been attempting to mend the toes of my pair of Toms shoes in the same fashion as dancers darn the boxes of their pointe shoes. I knew what I was doing! I just needed supplies) She didn't much try to hide that she thought the idea was silly and a waste of time, suggesting I just get new shoes. Well, tough luck, lady, because it worked and I've gotten a lot more life out of these shoes than I would have otherwise! I've made other visits since, because of what they have available, but I always have to go in knowing that it's the service I can't rely on. It makes for a pleasant surprise when the staff is good! So in conclusion, they have a fun stock of supplies for various sorts of crafts and some basic art supplies, and their fabric section looks promising though I haven't yet been able to put it to use. Their staff is incredibly hit-or-miss, however, so if you're headed in, just be ready to either be helped or to meet with a lot of attitude. read more