I needed ink for my fountain pen. Not only did they have a large selection of ink colors, they also…read morecleaned the nub and got the pen working to its' original form. Plus the ink cost was in line with what is available online. Very helpful, many thanks again. M

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.

I came here with barely knowledge of what I needed to start oil painting but there were plenty of…read morestore employees walking the store able to be my personal shopper assistant and make me feel welcome and taken care of and not taken advantage of. I wasn't upsold on anything and felt like I left with so much more knowledge which came for free! Greg was the person who helped me Ava what a nice guy and expert on this stuff. They carry many brands and options and I don't think the prices were outrageous. Art isn't cheap!

Buying art supplies can be overwhelming as a noob. Grateful to the staff for helping even though I…read moredidn't ask. They must have saw I needed it. :) Got advice on which paints to buy, what to skip and was checked in on a few times. Great customer service!

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.

Flax Art & Design is hands-down one of our favorite art supply stores in San Francisco. Their…read moreprices are refreshingly reasonable--especially when compared to big chain stores--and we always find great deals on printmaking supplies and imported paper. The selection here is top-notch, and it's clear they really cater to artists of all levels. Whether you're hunting for specialty tools or unique paper stock, this place delivers. Plus, the store has a creative, welcoming vibe that makes browsing a pleasure. If you're an artist or maker in the Bay Area, Flax is definitely worth the stop. Support local--you'll find what you need here, and probably something you didn't know you needed too!

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)

As a regular SF tourist and crafter, I ALWAYS visit this place when I'm in SF! It's got a fun…read moreselection 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!

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.

I really love the concept of this place and what it stands for. Being able to donate art supplies…read moreand give them a second life is such a great idea, and I was excited to contribute. That said, my recent donation experience was honestly off-putting. When I dropped off my items, the person working the donation window was very dismissive and quickly waved me off without any acknowledgment or basic courtesy. It felt like I was being shooed away rather than thanked for donating. It might seem like a small interaction, but for a place that relies on community contributions, that moment matters. A simple "thank you" or even a neutral, respectful handoff would go a long way. I still appreciate the mission, but the experience made me think twice about donating again. Hoping this is something the team can address.

I wasn't able to find my favorite Japanese sketch book by Trystrams at Maido Japantown. Maido did…read morenot have a restock date. The notebook is thin, Japanese paper quality amazing and I genuinely cannot find a substitute for this one. Topdrawer, all Japanese merchandise supplier notified me they only carry their proprietary brand. The sales rep however did recommend The Wishing Well workshop. I arrived, the owner looked for the notebook and realized they were sold out. He immediately placed an order and took my contact info to notify me once the order arrives. I can't recommend this place enough, so happy I found it!

Great service and quality work! Definitely will be returning for future custom shirts!read more

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

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!

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.

Looking for something and somewhere just for fun in San Francisco ? Summer isn't the only time to…read morehave fun in the city. There is a place in Noe Valley in San Francisco which you can find fun things all four seasons and the place is called " Just for fun ". This is the place to pick up last minute gifts. This is a gift shop/ novelty store located on 24th street. There lots of interesting items from books to games inside. Step inside just for fun or just for the fun of it. Noe Valley has good food like Fiorella Noe for pizza with slices of prosciutto and go to Saru for Sushi and Mamahuhu for noodles Walk down 24th street between the carriages and poodles then head inside Just for Fun & Scribbledoodles

Some cool, interesting stuff. Some, but not all, overpriced…read more They really need to train their Gen Y staff to answer the phone with more than a surprised-sounding "hello" leaving the caller wondering if they got a wrong number and having to ask whether they reached J4F.

San Francisco is a city full of twist and turns like Lombard street . The crookedest street in…read moreworld of course is in Vermont ( not the state) street in San Francisco. When it comes to art work in the city some art creations comes in a variety of shapes and forms and have so many multidimensional twists. Hand made art can be explored in different neighborhoods in San Francisco through canvases in the galleries and murals on the walls of the city streets. In Japantown there is a place where art is made on paper and with paper and you can create almost any work of art from plants , flowers and also animals like birds and tigers through the art of origami. This place is located on Buchanan Mall in Japantown in San Francisco and it's called Paper Tree. On a Spring stroll around Japantown in San Francisco there is a place to not only learn about the art of origami but also get the art supplies like origami paper to make the pieces of art. You will find inside lots books about origami along with displays of some of the most amazing art work. Komo was very helpful and gave me a lesson about the origami art sculptures displayed inside Paper Tree. This place is so inspirational origami will become my new hobby. In the month of August every year Paper Tree host the Origami Palooza in San Francisco Japantown. Paper Tree have classes to teach and "train " how to make an origami "Crane" and you can also take flight and make a "paper plane "origami is a fun hobby to stay focus and self "entertain" Come to Paper Tree and book a "session" to learn origami and make paper shapes in the third "dimension "and create animals and plants and your own character "invention "and late August in Japantown they host Origami Palooza an origami "convention"

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.