This has been my "go to" shop for 45 years. It's where my children learned about standing in line…read moreand purchasing a trinket or single pencil with their allowance. Other shops look over the heads of children at the counter, not considering them as customers, but Payn's does. I would stand outside and allow my children to go in alone, ask the clerk where the item they wanted was, and then completed their transaction with respect from the clerk and pride from the children. I'm looking forward now to bringing my grandchildren there. If they don't have it, do you really need it ?

Nice little family owned Stationary store on Solano Ave. the people running the store are always…read morefriendly and helpful. There aren't many small independently owned stationary stores left in the Bay Area so this is much needed. Street parking only. Prices are fair.

I purchased my good paper from Port Jefferson Station N.Y... I love the unusual craftiness of…read moredesign.....I love that the cards not only are handcrafted but also have a charitable meaning.... Supporting woman in tragic situations is a beautiful way to send the proceeds of signature greatness to worldly accomplishments..... LOVE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD .CHANGING LIVES THROUGH BEAUTY & CREATIVITY... zillion stars in my book.....

Top 3 things about working with Lisa: 1. She's incredibly…read morecreative and will be able to execute on any ideas you have on your wedding theme/collateral (or if you don't have any ideas she'll be able to come up with something fabulous) 2. She's easy to talk to and is a pleasure to work with 3. Did I mention that she's talented? Seriously, I'm working with Lisa now for my wedding collateral and my invitations/theme is probably one of the top things that's really gotten me excited about my wedding. Her work is way above my expectations and I can't wait to see all the final product!

It's the Friday before Mother's Day and nobody is here during business hours, the store is closed!…read more I waited 20 minutes after 10 AM. They were supposed to be open and nobody showed up. Several potential customers knocked, nobody answered. Very poor customer service here!

Everything was fine until checkout with Laura…read more My last name is Latin, I'm a Latin man. I came in, found what I was looking for and went to pay for my things. Upon paying I was asked if I wanted to sign up for some rewards program, I said sure. Upon telling her my full name, she kept mispronunciation my last name even after I corrected her. Laura is also a latin woman which is why I was taken aback at the fact that I kept reminding her that a J is pronounced like an H. The interaction felt dismissive and unnecessarily uncomfortable, almost like telling someone "yes the sky is blue, and them saying " got it, so red, right?" Overall, this was an entirely avoidable moment that appeared intentional, as my clear and repeated corrections were acknowledged but not applied.

I love this store so much they have many sunny angels and some smiskis! The lady at the counter was…read morereally nice great service. They also had a very good selection of Sunny angels and the value of them is very high for the price that they give is very reasonable.

My go-to supplier for Sonny Angels, Smiskis, and mofusand figurines on top of so many other cute…read moregifts for friends (or yourself). From plushies and keychains to blind boxes and decorations, there is a reason this business has rightfully earned so much of my money. They post a lot of helpful content on their Instagram account to keep you up-to-date on what is in stock. The staff is super friendly and do their best to give you a heads up on when new shipments are coming in. They are definitely worth making the trek from the El Cerrito Plaza and prices are reasonable to original price compared to other retailers (and arguably a better deal since you do not have to deal with shipping). Love them so much

Came here to express appreciation for the amazing customer service I received from Maddy and the…read moreteam at Topdrawer. Everyone at this store is amazing -- helpful and knowledgeable, and not at all pushy or pretentious. It's a joy to explore the carefully curated products. While I'm here, I'd like to comment on the 1 star review by Alan. I happened to have been present on the day of this conflict and it lives in my memory as one of the creepiest and most uncomfortable retail interactions I've ever witnessed. Alan was rude, patronizing and deeply inappropriate as he attempted to intimidate the store manager, who held her own with impressive grace and strength. There were several customers in the shop that night, and it seemed that most were unwilling to leave until we knew that the manager and her staff were safe. We were relieved when security arrived. Kudos to the manager for her poise under pressure, her commitment to protecting her staff, and unwillingness to give in to his attempts to intimidate or take the bait of engaging with his review.

Have you ever been to Radio Shack in the 80's and early 90's and noticed that everything inside the…read morestore that they were selling you felt was over priced and you knew that you can find it everywhere else for less? Well this is pretty much the equivalent to that. I mean literally I can find everything that Topdrawer sell for a lot less. I don't mind buying quality items and I do but not from this establishment. Doesn't help that the staff there are rude.. is it part of the atmosphere to justify the price. Let's act rude to everyone and pretend that the items here are too good for them so they want to buy it even more..

post.script. (not to be confused with the now closed Postscript Coffee in Jackson Square -…read morecurrently rebranded as Loveski) is a woman-owned gift shop in the Fillmore District. This cute and curated shop was was established in 2019 and mainly focuses on San Francisco-themed items and sells unique tote bags, pins, stationery, greeting cards, mini print vending machines, original artwork, home goods (e.g. scented candles), accessories, etc. This small shop carries items from 100+ brands and independent artists. This shop was quite an unexpected find and it really reminded me of some gift shops in Los Angeles that rent shelf space to independent artists and creators to showcase their work. Overall this is a great gift shop to stop by for anyone who's looking for a one-of-a-kind gift. P.S. - No designated parking lot for the shop & metered street parking or paid parking lots (California/Steiner Lot) only.

post.script. is a must visit when in SF. The shop is filled with amazing items made by small…read morebusinesses. Perfect for gifts (or a little treat for yourself :)) They have so many amazing cards for every occasion, stickers, pins, candles, art prints, and much more! The owner and staff are incredibly kind and helpful. They recently put on an event for Inciardi print collectors and it was fantastic. Definitely stop by!

Just a simple spot. Basic paints and pens. Some paper and general writing supplies along with a…read morevariety of canvases and art books! Overall, good if you know exactly what you're looking for (which most artists do).

As independent art supply stores have shut across the Bay Area over the last few years, Ink Stone…read morehas remained a paragon of affordable, convenient, intelligent retail. And it means you don't have to give your money to Blick.

I went in with no intention of buying anything. But knowing I would spend money. I have a…read morecompulsion of spending money at craft stores, but can't help myself. I've never been here before, and just wanted to check it out. There was a great selection of pens, markers, pencils, paper. Jelly cats lol I had been wanting a fountain pen for a long time but never bought one. Perfect timing I guess? The JT? TJ? Super knowledgeable about the products on hand, and even the ones they didn't have on hand. I'm excited for the Lamy pen, and sailor ink I purchased. The price of the pen was comparable to what I've seen online, so I'm glad I was able to shop local. I also ended up getting some cute stickers and washi tape.

Got an email that the Oakland location will close soon. Stopped by to get pen refills for my…read moreforeign pens. Cruised around the store, picked up a few calligraphy pens and a 2026 calendar. The pen Manager explained the specific refills in detail. Bonus, she wrote down the details of each model on the back of her business card. She was very helpful and detailed oriented and a pleasure to converse with. We'll definitely miss Flax, but in the meantime, we'll make sure all of the items we need, we get 'em here. The staff that we interacted with were friendly, professional and very helpful. Super bonus = off-street parking lot in rear of store

Super cute stationary store in Elmwood!…read more There a good selection of paper products, journals and random gifts. I was pleasantly surprised by the huge selection of moleskine journals and Crane greeting cards! I overheard a customer ask off they sold stamps, which they do if you need to send something right away! I literally saw everything from pens, washi tape, fun witty printed socks, lip balm?! It's a quaint neighborhood shop that I hope stays in business in this age of Amazon. Prices are moderate but fair for the better brands they carry!

Wonderful and unique selection! Best to go here first! You…read morewon't need to shop around then.

The way brick and mortar bookstores are dwindling these are becoming unicorns…read more I have to admit that the last few books I bought were all online - one because it was independently published and no bookstore carried it - but the other two I didn't even bother looking after that first hunt. We need to support these bookstores. Let them know what you want and they might hear you for next time. I liked the cards and other items they had in stock too. Its great to pick up before you make a decision. Right now I have a few books in my 'to read pile' and once those are finished I will come back here for some more. Great to have this in the neighborhood.

A really good bookstore in Downtown Berkeley!!…read more I came in here looking for a calendar, and ended up browsing through the books. It's a classic old school style bookstore, with very friendly people working here. I didn't spend as much time in here that I wanted to, definitely have to come here again!!