From knitting to sculpting, these custom art supply stores have all you need to get crafty.
By Maya Modelli
I love art supply stores almost as much as I love making art. There is something just so special about being in a space full of materials, full of possibility, and full of inspiration. Through my years of perusing many of the Twin Cities art supply stores, I keep returning to the same five. To me, they are the best art supply stores the Twin Cities has to offer, ranked by range of products, cost and “vibe”, meaning how much I like the store’s atmosphere. A score of 1 means the atmosphere is anxiety-inducing; a score of 5 means the atmosphere is friendly and fun.
ArtScraps:
ArtScraps has curated a selection of secondhand materials from artists’ and community members’ scrap donations. At ArtScraps you can expect to find anything from blank canvases to tiny jars full of buttons. A staple in the Saint Paul artists’ community, ArtScraps is full of hidden gems, but they’re often hidden. You will likely need to dig around a little bit to find materials that speak to you. That can be a little overwhelming.
Location: Saint Paul
Overall rating: 5/5
Range of products: 5/5
Cost: $
Vibe: 4/5
Wet Paint:
Wet Paint offers art supplies and art classes for all ages. Wet Paint seeks to bring artists’ creative vision to life by providing them with the very best products. Wet Paint has a wide selection of products at various price ranges. It also has the most helpful, kind staff I have met at an art supply store. They are very welcoming and seek to make sure you find the best products that work for you and your budget.
Location: Saint Paul
Overall rating: 4/5
Range of products: 4/5
Cost: $$
Vibe: 5/5
Open Book:
Open Book is for bookmakers, it is a community and creation space that offers a selection of stellar supplies. Located in the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Open Book offers bookmaking classes as well as locally made artists’ books. With its carefully curated selection of products, each thing sold, however simple, just seems so special. Open Book is like an art gallery where you can touch everything.
Location: Minneapolis
Overall rating: 4/5
Range of products: 3/5
Cost: $$
Vibe: 5/5
Bobby Bead:
With an impressive selection of unique beads and quality materials, Bobby Bead is THE store for all beading needs. Most notable is their selection of TOHO beads. Bobby bead also has tutorials online and classes available for beginners. There are so many types of beads that finding what you need can be overwhelming. Thankfully, the staff at Bobby Bead are knowledgeable and helpful in guiding you toward what you need for the type of project you are working on.
Location: Minneapolis
Overall rating: 4/5
Range of products: 2/5
Cost: $
Vibe: 4/5
Knit & Bolt:
Knit & Bolt is a fabric and yarn store focused on retailing high-performing independently dyed yarn and unique fabrics. Knit & Bolt offers sewing, crochet, and knitting classes. Knit & Bolt has a welcoming atmosphere however, on occasion I have encountered some uninterested or not particularly helpful staff. Overall the customer experience is good if you know what you are looking for.
Location:
Overall rating: 4/5
Range of products: 3/5
Cost: $$
Vibe: 4.5/5