First point, the customer service from and staff and ownership is second to none. Theresa and her…read moreshopkeeps are warm, friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Secondly, the store is thoroughly stocked with floor to ceiling materials for most any project you could conceive. World renowned artists frequent and are continual attracted to shop here for a reason! Thirdly, Rath also offers local feature window displays, quality handmade items and supports independent artists year round. They have created a beautiful community footprint! And if you don't care about any of that? Just go get your paint and be very happy with your purchase and experience!

Best art store in the city! Don't judge a book by it's cover: This place may be tiny but it has all…read moreyour artsy needs covered! The selection is smaller than Opus or DeSerres, but everything they carry is very high quality, even the things priced on the lower end, and they have some specialty items i've never seen at those other larger stores! I popped in yesterday to grab a new tube of white paint and noticed cans of specialty enamel paint for hand-lettering signs... Coincidentally I have an outdoor sign for a store just waiting to be painted, and after the owner told me the benefits of using that paint rather than plain jane acrylic i was sold! I'm so happy that i can provide one of my clients with better quality work thanks to the advice I got at Rath! Basically one of my favorite things about the place is the staff! If i have a question about anything, i'm always way more confident asking the super friendly, very knowledgeable owner about something than i am any of hired guns at Opus and DeSerres. The only thing: Don't come in here if you're looking for scrap booking supplies, tubes of glitter, jewelery making kits (etc etc!). Rath sells art supplies, plain and simple, so if your creativity falls into the crafting end of the spectrum you're best off going to DeSerres. If you aren't sure if they carry what you're looking for, just give them a call!

In contrast to the substandard customer service I received at the Granville location of Opus Art…read moreSupplies on May 15, the Coquitlam location of Opus Art Supplies was excellent. The staff there were friendly, helpful, down-to-earth, and approachable. It really highlights the difference in management between the two stores.

Friendly staffs that are willing to answer any questions you have. A bit smaller but have most…read morematerials and pretty well stocked. Alright prices and good quality supplies. A couple parking spaces right outside on the left side of the store. More street parking if you walk down the streets a bit. Not hard to find but at a corner at the interaction of the road. Sometimes they have discounts for members too. My go to store for art supplies are the Langley, Downtown and this Opus.

Super friendly owner. We had a good chat and I was surprised people would come here for their paint…read moreto find a match for their car rims or even sink. Good selection but don't expect to find the Japanese Gundam stuff here. Prices are reasonable here.

Great hobby store! Good selection of quality affordable model kits and paints and much more. Also,…read moreDave, the owner, is really great at answering all your hobby related questions and can even usually order certain items you require if he doesn't have it in stock. I've been a loyal customer at Burnaby Hobbies for years and for me it's the only 'go to place' for all my hobby needs.

I was recently in the market for a good puzzle glue, of all things, and it had to be REALLY good,…read moreas the puzzle in question was very special and pricey (limited edition, and a gift from a dear friend). I am familiar with DeSerres stores as they are a national, high-end arts supply store, and when I used to be a student in design school, we'd often get specialized items here in Montreal, years ago. I went online and saw that they carry not one but TWO good puzzle glues, so off I went, to find this store. I found the place easily, on Grandview, close to the Italian Community Center where I got my COVID booster a while back. And right off the bat, I was impressed that there was a dedicated parking lot for their clients. Free parking? Yes, please! Upon entering the store, a young woman who was manning the cash greeted me, and I asked her where the puzzle glue was. She knew exactly where and told me which aisle. As I walked to the area, I was struck by all the canvases, acrylic paints and brushes. What a great selection, and all of excellent brands. (Not the kind at generic craft stores). I also was struck by all the artsy "toys" - the kinds I've not seen elsewhere. Know a kid who's creative? This truly would be the place to get him or her gifts. I didn't go upstairs, but it was clear there was a second floor. I was amazed at all the puzzles they had. I didn't remember DeSerres having puzzles and toys, only art supplies. And the puzzles they had were excellent quality ones, like Ravensburger, and all depicted scenes and artworks that I've never seen on puzzles before. I don't think you'd have to worry about missing pieces or ill-fitting pieces if you got any of these puzzles. I couldn't find the puzzle glue, but the employee who greeted me came to check on my progress in finding what I came here for, and when I told her there were no glues in the aisle, she said they just got a shipment of stuff "in the back" and she'd go check. So nice! Unfortunately, when she returned she said that no glues were in that shipment and the next shipment isn't for another week or two. Darn it. I had assumed if an item was on their website, it'd be in stock in the store. Next time I'll know to call first to check. The employee suggested I try maybe Michael's or another craft store (I forget the name), and I thanked her for her help. She really tried to help me out and I appreciated it. The prices at this store are not cheap, but we're not dealing with cheap merchandise. Just call first if you're looking for a specialized item.

I am reviewing this based on my experience as a disabled person and also the parent of a child who…read moreuses a wheelchair. This place COULD be accessible but it isn't. The door opens directly on to the sidewalk, but there is no handicapped door opener. They keep sale items upstairs. There is an elevator but a key is needed and it takes you to a staff only area. It's clear that the primary purpose of the elevator is staff moving items and not accessibility for people who can not use stairs. We felt like complete afterthoughts trying to shop here.

A gem! What a find, this gem of a shop on Hastings, just east of London Drugs. Getting kids quality…read moregifts, books and toys can be a challenge with all the shiny bling out there. This place has art kits, embroidery kits, quality books that have obviously carefully chosen, inclusive and good selection of non-fiction. There are games, paint supplies, trinkets. Something for everybody, good place to pop into if you are looking for gifts. It is a very narrow space with every nook and cranny utilized, so be ready to feel a bit squished and masks are mandatory.

A really special place that adds so much to the neighbourhood and the greater Vancouver. One of my…read morefavourite features is the puzzle exchange! Truly a cozy nook to make and do together and unlock self discovery for learners of all ages. Another thing that makes this place special is an area that's perfect for makers to share their craft and inspirations. I always look forward to finding new and fascinating gems inside.

Every time I have shopped at this location, I have always been warmly greeted by friendly staff…read more If you need assistance with anything, they are there for you. This location isn't as big as Granville Island, but I can always find what I need here. Prices are competitive, but don't expect them to be cheap. They sell higher quality items then your local craft store. That being said, I don't feel that they are overly expensive for what you are getting. They have a good selection of Alcohol Inks and Mica pigment powder. The powder lasts forever, as you only need a small amount. Cashing out is also easy and staff is genuinely really nice and laid back. ( Try to remember your own reusable bag as they only have paper ones ) They also have a good return policy - but as always save your receipt for best results !

Overall I find Opus a bit over priced, as I can find a lot of the products other places for less…read more However, it's still a great store. Where else can you find all these amazing art supplies under one roof? Nowhere I know of. Plus, the staff are awesome. So helpful, and always letting you test out items before you buy. Looking forward to my next visit here!

I heard about Kroma from my Emily Carr friend who suggested it as a local, more economical, and…read moreas-good-or-better alternative to the artist-favourite Golden products. I have to say I am extremely happy I made my first artist-quality paint investment here for those three reasons, and for the small-vendor service I get when I have questions. After consulting with the sole staff member on my first visit I picked up the 15-colour starter set for $60 plus a couple more tubes in larger sizes. Now every time I'm on Granville Island I just love spending a few minutes here where I'm sure to treat myself to a new colour; at $4-7 for a new 60ml tube it's good retail satisfaction value. The reduced selection compared to major acrylic brands is actually a relief to me; I am not bombarded by choice, and I can actually reach a point where there isn't more to collect (a good thing for me). I was very happy to recently see the always-fun Raw Canvas (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/raw-canvas-vancouver) using all Kroma paints...

I *highly* recommend Kroma Artist Acrylics to all artists, professional and amateur alike. These…read morepaints are high quality, very affordable, and Canadian made. I prefer them over all other costly and well known brands. When speaking to their customer service department I was treated professionally and kindly. The time between speaking to their representative (Jessica) on the phone to order my paints to having them delivered to my door - safely packaged- was a mere two days. I live in Alberta. For those who are wary, try out a few of their tubes and reserve judgment until after you have done so. I know you'll be happy with these paints.

The best service! So many amazing finds! Are you looking for craft supplies? Trinkets? Craft…read moresupplies you weren't looking for? It's all here and it's all so well priced. One visit isn't enough, there's always new products!

These guys are great and have lots of quirky unusual art supplies that are great for anyone with…read moresome creativity or does mixed medium art. One side of the store has a variery of items where you can fīll up a paper bag starting at $8 and change and the items are always changing. You can find things like ink stamps, feathers, beads, jewelery findings, marbles, gold leaf, various papers and boxes, stickers, Sew on patches, vintage pictures amd magazines, fabrics, paints and brushes, and much more. Friendly staff, great store, I love this place!

Twelfth Street in New West is not usually on my radar for walking and window shopping, but it's got…read moresome pretty cool stuff if you care to look. Such as a bright orange Eames reproduction chair - hey, what is this place? It's the Banana Lab, a hidden treasure trove of mid-century modern furniture and little design-y things. Hidden in plain sight, really, as it's just across the street from a Yelper fave, Big Star Sandwich. Frankly, I'm heartened there's now another MCM-focused vintage store in town! Packed into the Lab's small space is a number of nifty teak sideboards, record cabinets, chairs and other Danish modern furnishings and housewares for my soon-to-be groovier living room. Prices compare favourably to the *other* MCM store, and the proprietors here seem really nice and friendly and enthusiastic about their wares.

I came here today for the first time as I'm looking for a dining set. The lady who helped me was…read morevery kind and friendly and helped me measure tables and chairs so I can have some reference when considering the pieces in my home. There's plenty of mid century furniture to choose from and upon inspection of some of their refinished items, they do an incredible job. Like with vintage and hard wood furnitures, some of the pieces are not cheap but they're unique and will last a long time. The other plus to this store is their kitschy (and sometimes original) art pieces and tchotchkes. I prefer this place to the shop in the Quay so I'll most likely come back as a few items tweaked my fancy (especially the sunburst table) and I'll be sure to let people know about this place.