I needed ink for my fountain pen. Not only did they have a large selection of ink colors, they also cleaned 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 read more

What can I say. Every single time I come to this store to get supplies for my child who is an art student 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. read more

I love shopping at Arch. The prices are a better value than most, and the selection is fantastic. I feel inspired coming to shop here. A person I used to work with brought me years ago, and I'm so glad! Plus the neighborhood has so many other great things, you can make it a destination for food and drinks after you're done. I appreciate that this isn't a chain. I don't really dig shopping at chains-it feels so impersonal to me. I feel like the level of service at them isn't quite the same. Glad this place is still around!! read more

ARCH Art and Drafting Supply - Arch is the best place for drawing supplies, hands down! - Art Supplies Near Me - San Francisco, California

ARCH we've followed from Pacific Avenue downtown S.F. to now here on Potrero Hill, still a wonderful place to enable creative endeavors. Everything you need and more, nice to see the old school, non-digital pencils, brushes, papers, canvas stretchers. We also have Flax near us in the East Bay which we go to often, just got a gorgeous Lamy fountain pen from there. The area surrounding ARCH is equally fun, ceramic studios running with doors open to the street so you can peer in, furniture, fireplace and other showrooms by the ton. Cruised through Bath & Beyond, high end plumbing fixtures on display. If you're in the area, go to Norden Living (furniture), Heath Tile, Tartine Bakery, then drive to MCD Museum of Craft & Design, Flora Grubb for plants, have lunch at the Mission Rock Resort or Tartine, can't lose either way. Great area! read more

See all

Staff here was super helpful. They had a pretty large selection of supplies. I was clueless coming in and able to get some art supplies for my wife with their help, thanks and kudos to the staff! read more

ARCH Art and Drafting Supply - She made these with the art supplies from ARCH - Art Supplies Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Good location great place to go easy parking nice and clean shop atmosphere service ahhh.. they were friendly, but not approachable seem to be busy conversation with each other. Didn't add to my experience purchased my merchandise and left. read more

Good for browsing but overpriced and can find much cheaper for most products online. Just good for figuring out what you need. They will open products for you to see the quality which is good Inhospitable and unfriendly to minorities When I go in I never get a hello or can I help you yet the customer who came in behind me one second later They were like how can I help you wonderful day today. Perhaps that individual meet a certain look or demographic background they desire to see in customers read more

A pleasant convenient shopping experience! Able to dash in and get emergency art supplies good street parking.

Great selection of writing utensils & architectural supplies. I appreciated the sticker selection as well. I went there for fine tip sharpies and was not disappointed :-) also picked up 2 sets of high quality poster tubes for $12/ea, which is a great price because they sell for double the price online. Recommend this local gem! read more

Mac, and the ARCH folks worked with me to right their wrongs. They went above and beyond what I hoped to get out of the interaction. I just wanted an explanation of why my experience was so poor. Thank you again for being compassionate and generous too. read more

This is one of the best art supply stores I've encountered in SF in years. It's not quite as bougie as the OG Flax on Valencia, but is kind of posh. ARCH has SUCH an excellent selection of supplies for all kinds of visual artists who like to create with their hands. Particularly excellent are the drawing, illustration, painting, paper, and drafting supplies. They also have all the basics. Do yourself a favor and stop on by! Call first; they are moving 8/2021 read more

My partner and I went to get canvas to stretch over some stretcher bars, and when we asked the middle-aged white woman who worked there for help, she was curt with us from the start. When my partner asked for a foot of canvas to be cut, the woman laughed rather than suggest a longer length since when we got home, the canvas was not the size my partner had intended it to be. So, the woman working at Arch knew the sizing was most likely impractical for my partner's use but decided not to inform her about it and help someone who is obviously new to the process of buying rolled canvas. Also, when my partner stood there to see the length, the woman kept telling her to wait at the register, which shows how unwilling she was to help my partner get what she needed. Now, I am not saying don't go here. It is a shame that the woman was not welcoming to those trying new things and finding new ways to express themselves. Art is already elitist, and we don't need the people who work at art stores to be stuck up and unwelcoming. Overall, we are disappointed in how the woman acted and our experience at Arch. read more

What a neat store! Loved all the special paper and so many paints. Very nice staff welcomed my dog too.

I love this place! Great service and great products. I feel inspired to create art just walking through the door.

What a great find! I had no idea that such a cool art supply/gift shop place was so close to me! Thank you yelp lol... Parking is ample and when you drive up it's a weird warehouse looking area that says arch but drive in and you'll see the shop. Interesting door with a knob. Why I was here // I came here looking for calligraphy markers and they had them! Other things they had // stamps, cards, paints, drawing supplies, Knick knacks , and fun gifts! I love this place! So many great treasures await and the next time I have a diy project or art hobby, I know where to go! read more

Arch has been in SF for a good while. They were up on Osgood Place in the Barbary Coast back when masses of designers and artists needed hand-eye-mind coordination in their very not-virtual world of SF's corporate and publishing high-life. Check out the exhibit of 'vintage' tools and wonder.... read more

These people have everything and are super helpful as most of the people who work here are artists.

I was in need of help with an art project. I walked in to Arch Art and I was immediately helped by Joy. Within minutes I was offered several Options for my project. Thank you for your knowledge and excellent customer service. read more

I was given the task of painting a replica of a difficult painting for my friend and wasn't sure where to start. When I got inside I was overwhelmed with all the amazing art supplies and cute displays! Ilyana went out of her way to help me find what I needed on a budget. She even cut my watercolor paper for me. I'm excited to spend my Sunday painting, and excited to have such a cute art place within a short driving distance! read more

Excellent local art supply store. It's across the street from CCA, so certainly convenient for the students there, but it's also not far away from my apartment building, when my wife or I want to do some art for fun. I've picked up some paints and pre-stretched canvases from Arch, both in-person and using pick-up of online order. Service is good, staff is friendly, and the selection is solid. Lots of interesting things to look at; the pigment powders caught my eye for a future purchase. Yes, the big box art store will probably be cheaper, but Arch is really awesome, and I try to get things from here as much as possible. And for the 60"x72" canvas, I avoided an exorbitant freight charge by shopping locally at Arch. read more

Arch isn't made for guys like me. I like going in and finding technical and gifty doodads that are both nerdy and creative. This is my place to go in sf when I want something unusual and fun. read more

Incredible selection, reasonable prices. A thorough selection of art supplies (plus drafting, model-building, etc) with a nice smattering of quirk and gifts. read more

In the search for the perfect green ink for a handmade invitation found Arch. Found the right ink, and great service! read more

Has a wide selection of acrylics, brushes and canvases! The staff is friendly if you have any questions.

I've been shopping at Arch for decades. I stumble across them wherever they move. Love live Arch.

Me Likey! So much more than an art supply store. Everything from the exterior paint (very cool gold metallic shimmer!) to the inventory and layout is super fun and cool. I walked in here not needing anything, but walked out with all kinds of unique and quirky gift items. From little silver Buddha charms to a "Tragic Thoughts" (Tim Burton) journal, they have a great variety of gift ideas for all types. During the 2005 holiday season, they had some very cool ornaments, too. Oh, and they supposedly have well-priced art supplies, too! read more

See all

This has become my go-to place for art supplies. They have everything from pens, pencils all the way to a wide selection of spray paint. They even have specialty papers and awesome notebooks. Everything is reasonably priced and easy to find. This store is overall awesome I can't say the same about the staff since it's always a hit or miss. The last time I went in I was looking for an item I wandered through the store and the lady behind the counter noticed. however, she seemed to be busy chatting with another store employee. She made eye contact and completely ignored the fact I needed help. I ended up leaving since I did not want to interrupt the staff I found the item elsewhere. read more

I came in today just before my yelp deal was about to expire. I really liked this place. To describe the vibe and merchandise, it feels like a cross between Cliff's Variety and Flax. I bought some stationary, some pens and a notepad, cool brass stamps (to seal envelopes with wax) and one or two other unique, small things. (i.e. An inexpensive, esthetically pleasing contact lens case; mod and very strong refrigerator magnets). If I'd had more than 20 minutes to spend (more than) burning off my Yelp deal, I'm sure I would've found even more to love and upgrade Arch to a 5-star review. Q: Why do they write out their sales receipts in long-hand on carbon receipts, as if it's 1974? Isn't it hard for them to keep track of their inventory? I mean, it's quaint but... read more

Wonderful place, friendly/helpful staff, and responsive Email communication. Go in person if you can, because there are things in the store that aren't on the website. This location is in the eye of the redevelopment hurricane. Light a candle and say a prayer for its survival. read more

Long ago (sigh) ARCH was located on Jackson Street in the "designer ghetto" just north of the Transamerica Pyramid. I worked at an architecture firm one block away so it was very convenient to drop in whenever I needed something for either an office or personal project. This place had the feeling of a converted industrial loft in one of SF's oldest buildings. (It was on the ground floor, of course.) As soon as I entered that place I immediately felt inspired to create something wonderful. Everywhere there were things that encouraged you to express your own creativity. Exotic papers, all kinds of drafting supplies, and quirky hand-made gifts. Near the front entry there were always flyers, notices, hand-written messages, free post cards and stickers -- indications of a thriving creative community that loved this store and its style. Now the store is about a mile south of South Park, smack dab in the middle of the design district (California College of the Arts is one block east). I've been to this store several times and although the neighborhood is not as charming as Jackson Street, ARCH has lots of merchandise that continues the tradition of bringing their customers something that they need for design or art school projects or for professional level work. Long live ARCH. It certainly deserves to be here in the future. read more

They're nice to specific people. Every time I come in here, they just sound whiny and rude. I never had a good treatment here. Whenever you ask for something if they have it or have more of it, they just answer, "if you don't see it, then no" without hesitation. The least they could do is check on their system or pretend to check. They really don't wanna help you especially if you're a student. read more

I really love Arch, and the philosophy behind this store. Given that there's a Pearl and a Flax and who knows what else at the corporate level in SF, it's nice to see an indie store like Arch making such a name for itself. Plus, they will send some orders out via bike courier to your architecture practice or what have you if you're in the downtown/financial district area. As others have also mentioned, the staff is very polite and helpful, too. My complaints about Arch that prevents me from awarding them five full stars? Mainly that they seem as geared towards cute little gift items as they are towards bona fide drafting supplies nowadays. I know that CADD has replaced hand drafting in so many ways, but still . . . I would like to know there's a place I can get my Rotring pens and compasses and such even in these digital times. Arch is as limited as others in these supplies it seems, and the new "Arch pricer" (catalog) fails to even list compasses by any brand. That's kinda odd, now isn't it? I am emailing Kate at Arch now to ask a few questions (such as where the fuzzy did the compasses go off to) and if she or someone else there can help, which I suspect they can, I will give them their fifth star. Arch is a real treasure in SF and I will always think fondly of it. Also, I could spend a king's ransom between here and nearby William Stout Architectural Books in a matter of mere hours . . . just sayin'. read more

Arch is a little piece of artist heaven situated right in Potrero! I enjoy the selection of mech pencils and pens, paints and Prisma pencils. During Covid I have phoned in orders which I can easily pick up at the register when I arrive. I am greeted each time by the friendly staff and have always been asked if I needed assistance. My pup would come with me in her bag when I need to trim down the Illustration board I need. It's fun that it is dog friendly. Parking is super easy and they have their own lot. It's fun looking at their gift section too and the fun materials they have in the window cases. I enjoy following Arch on ig to see what events are happening and what artists are hosting workshops. Support this local shop and keep this important artist resource going! read more

Great selection of ssupplies and materials. Especially papers if various stock. Reasonable prices. Recommend!

An art store that delivers is my idea of a dream come true. Thank you Tom @ Arch art supplies for helping me to get some much needed distraction to my son while hes in the hospital there in the city. I'm very pleased with the ease of this transaction, I will definitely have to vista your shop in person the next time I come to San Francisco read more

I never review things, but the man who helped me get supplies for my intro to architectural drafting class was so helpful, kind, and knowledgeable. He saved hours of my day and went through my entire supplies list with me. I am hugely appreciative. It is also a very nicely laid out and well organized store. If you need architectural supplies, this is the place to get it. read more

I wanted to like this place. I always choose a local business over a chain even if the prices are a little higher because I'd rather my money stay in the local economy. Their selection is good considering how small the store is. I like the wooden floors, the public bulletin board, the Boston Terrier. But out of the ten or so odd times I've shopped there in the last year I have not been impressed by a few of the employees' attitudes towards work or the customers. They are slow to help and seem to make an effort to avoid eye contact if they are busy doing something else at the front register or out on the floor. Not all of them, not every time, but enough that I noticed a trend. But the one experience I had with one of the employees almost made me never go back. I had heard they sold Gocco supplies. I had just bought a Gocco printer and was dying to try it out. I was in the neighborhood on a Saturday and thought I would stop by. Their hours are not posted on the front door for some reason, or were not posted at the time. It was around 11 or noon and I was not sure if they were open on a Saturday so I decided to call and see if they had a recording for their hours of operation and if they were opening in a few minutes I would wait, if not I'd come back later. The phone rang for quite a while and then a guy answered with just a "Hello" so I thought I had the wrong number. I asked if I had reached Arch and he said yes in an annoyed voice. Then I asked what time they opened and he said, "We'd be open right now if I could get off the phone with you!" It was so out of the blue rude it was almost comical. Despite his underwhelming customer service, I did go in the store and get the Gocco stuff and the whole time I was in there the guy who answered the phone was grumbling to his coworker about all the terrible things in his life. It was pretty clear he was depressed or hung over or something but MAN, was it NOT the impression a small business wants to give off. So two stars until they hire a few more people who are happy at work and lose the ones that are there killing time for the discount. read more

Arch has been my go to art supply store for a while now, since its closer and easier to get to than flax. I'm SERIOUSLY reconsidering never going back. My boyfriend and I were there earlier today to get a couple supplies for a project. First we asked them if they had any sort of masonite board or clay board canvases and one of the girls told us they didn't carry anything like that at all. She obviously wasn't aware of their inventory because after 5 minutes of looking around on our own, we found it. We found the rest of what we needed, took a quick look around like we usually do, and then walked over to the register to pay for our things. This is where it got bad. No one was at the register, which was ok. We patiently waited for someone to come by. There was this girl looking around though, and I was pretty sure she worked there, but since she was paying no attention to us and telling a story to someone else. She kept walking around, stared at us, turned around and kept walking. I figured she had stepped in on her day off. Until another man stood in line behind us. She looked over again, saw him standing in line BEHIND us, and said "are you ready? I can help you." THEN, the OTHER TWO girls showed up, we're STILL waiting at the register, and they walked over and helped him. Now there's THREE girls helping this ONE man, and we're still standing in front of him waiting at the counter. WE ARE PISSED. My boyfriend says, "we were first, can WE get some help?" The girls look at each other and one of them says, I guess I help you at this register. WTF?? "I GUESS I CAN HELP YOU?". WTF. I just want to make it very clear how obvious it was we were waiting first. So obvious that the man stood BEHIND us in line. NOT ACCEPTABLE AT ALL. I'll considering giving them my business again when their employees learn some fucking manners. read more

Don't let the "drafting supply" part of the name detract from what you can get out of the store. All kinds of artists can shop here but it is a great place for architects looking for an uber fine pen!! Arch is tucked away in the Potrero Hill district near the California College of the Arts (CCA formerly known as CCAC) campus and there's plenty of parking as well. From small wood panels to watercolor blocks to useful art books, you can easily find what you need and it's student friendly. I was pleasantly surprised by the price of the quality selection of art supplies and the outgoing staff. They'll definitely take the time to help you out!! read more

One of the two fetishes I will publicly confess to having is the love of stylish art'n office supplies. This includes over-engineered click pencils, ergonomic, gravity-defying pens, scientific lab graphing paper and moleskin-like journals. (Patagonia athletic wear is the other.) On my way back to work from SF BBQ http://www.yelp.com/biz/CdVdXP7WBQH_VvJpYPYZAw?hrid=2ZJ1dTgwynmbOHfpzTPafw I meandered down Missouri st. and my jaw went slack. Where the hell did this Sports Basement-sized paper store come from? My amazement was soon replaced with glee as I literally skipped around this gi-normous warehouse of every possible type of paper, pen and paint. Candy colored pens and supplies are meticulously arranged at the entrance just like chocolate and gum tempt you at the grocery store. I love the creative touches to the place, like the conveyor belt shelving system and the paintings of pens outside. Also the scent of the of the shop is homey like wood chips and books. The only negative during my out-of-body experience was the realization that Arch is probably an institution or holy mecca of supplies to the arts'n craft crew of the City. I was yet again slow on the uptake. Fortunately I'm now on board - no longer will I settle for the overpriced, crappy sh** at Papyrus. Cards, supplies, wrapping paper, photo albums, amusing monkey toys... it's all at Arch. And its location has a handy mnemonic... remember the famous Arch of St. Louis on Missouri street. http://www.gatewayarch.com/Arch/ read more