It's a good thing they have a giant inflatable man wildly wiggling in the air, and also a large…read morebanner advertising their location because otherwise it's pretty much impossible to find them. Even following Yelp's directions, they ultimately lead to you to a parking lot where the building beside it looks abandoned. We almost gave up and as we were walking up the street, the wiggling inflatable man caught my eye, and I realized that's actually the art store. This was a fun store to browse. They have a lot of supplies for all your artistic needs, and at pretty reasonable prices. I was looking for pottery supplies on this visit and found a few. They only carry speedball glaze, not sure why but it would be nice to see them carry brands like Laguna or Amaco. Perhaps they don't have enough people buying glazes to justify supplying a large array? Regardless, I ended up buying one, especially since it was a few dollars cheaper than online. It felt good to support a local art store in this way. They had a great sale going on, especially with regards to paint brushes. I didn't buy any as pottery glaze tends to be harsh on bristles so I always get whatever is cheap but if you're looking for oil, acrylic, watercolor supplies this place would be great for that. The people working here were stellar! Very friendly, and easy to talk to. Would be a regular if I lived here.

staff is always very helpful as well as knowledgable. good selection ....not perfect but good. Do…read moreyour research before you go shopping so you know what you are looking for.

One of the things that makes Northampton, well, Northampton, is Essentials. I started shopping at…read moreEssentials almost twenty years ago, and it's been a staple of my quirky life ever since. It's changed hands twice in my awareness, and just keeps getting better and better with age. This is a design-focused, design-heavy shop, and there are things I can pretty much only get AT Essentials; for instance, they've got a cut-to-custom-length ribbon bar, and some of that ribbon is vintage, and my absolute favorite is the hand-dyed silk. Also, they've got the best collection of Tintin and other European character favorites (like Barbapapa and Babar) this side of the pond. Oh, and the staff is wonderful. Knowledgable, friendly, thoughtful, and creative. Over the years, the cast of characters has changed, but it's always top-shelf. One giant boon: they've helped me put together a gift in no time, saving my bacon on numerous occasions! On a typical day, you can find stationery of all kinds, the indier the better; dishware; rubber stamps; intriguing books (think Chronicle); bath goods; bags of all shapes, sizes, and purposes; clothes and scarves; eight million things for kids, from blankies to onesies to stuffed alligators; jewelry; small home goods; special pens; DIY kits; custom furniture; large sheets of beautiful artisan paper; and a ton of things I'm forgetting. And one other thing about Essentials I am not forgetting, but which I saved for last, because it's my favorite. Essentials has an in-house design and print studio. And they also work with a select group of indie designers and printers who create everything from business cards to party invites. Here is where Colette, the current owner, really freaking shines, in my opinion. There was one thing I wanted when it came time to get married. One. Thing. That one thing was letterpress wedding invitations from Essentials. Colette took us from beautiful nebulous idea to flawlessly-executed product without ever breaking a sweat. I don't know if you've ever worked with people who are about to get married, but we are not always the most poised, cool-headed, or unflappable of people; Colette sat us down in the big comfy chairs and made sketches and phone calls, and really made our family feel like we were the only people in the entire world. Go see what I'm talking about - our invitation is probably still hanging in its golden-framed, green-paper-backed glory. Nearly four thousand miles away now, and I'm still bouncing in my chair as I look forward to my next trip to Essentials, whenever it may be.

I like this store and their merchandise. The prices are high, as the merchandise is of a high…read morequality. However their store policies are not up par with many upscale stores. We received a lovely gift of several girls garments, however we have a male child. The store manager, who did not have the courage to call us, rather made a sales associate do their work, informed us without a receipt we can not get a store credit. So wonderful Essentials, you made some money from this sale, but you lost a lot more revenue from this here shopper.

I was on my way to the ice cream shop, a few doors down, and found this place on the way. I am so…read moreglad I found this delightful little shop! I found some pastels that can be used with water to make them look like water colors, a nice little notepad for traveling and doing art, and some fun paintbrushes. The owner is delightful. Very nice to talk with. I love her shop and I wish her much success with it! Lots of giftable art supplies here that would make wonderful birthday presents and such. For all ages. Go visit this shop and buy something. Support the small business owner. PS: She liked my dogs too. That's always a nice bonus!!

I have had several custom framing jobs done there, a couple straight forward, one rather…read morecomplicated. The results have been excellent, very fine workmanship and attention to detail. Extensive selection of wood frames. Owner and employees are friendly and helpful. A bit on the pricey side, but here you truly get what you pay for. They also do very good restorations of old damaged photographs.

We were in town for a memorial service and had a million little requests. James and the crew here…read morewere super helpful. We needed cards printed--no problem. We needed a small booklet printed and bound, oh and could we have it by tomorrow? No problem. And at a very reasonable price! These guys are very knowledgeable and super friendly.

I need to prepare a painting for shipment and the owner was extremely helpful and securing my…read morepainting with Masonry board... I would highly recommend them!

Being local, I have been going to Millers since it was at the Colonial Theatre before being…read morerestored. I usually go here for framing but an occasional paint or brush. I always ask for Angela, she is so knowledgeable about framing and color selection for matting(if needed). She is also an artist so she has a very good eye for colors. She asks about your decor, and other important questions needed to make your selection the best needed for you. I highly recommend going to see her if you need some help, she very friendly and will make your experience a very satisfying one! Cudos!!!

This store has various vintage oddities that are so artistically appealing. And at the price you…read morecan buy them at, you can start about whatever collection or project you wish. Definitely support it!

What an awesome little shop! Lots to browse from vintage doodads to original art prints. A very…read moreeccentric collection with jewelry and crystals as well. Right off the bridge in Turner's Falls off Route 2. Worth a quick detour if you're heading out to Western Mass

I will drive an hour of my way and then spend $100 on things I don't technically need, I love this…read moreplace so much. Great art supplies, including items you might never see in another store for all types of painting and drawing. Add that with tons of cute and affordable gifts, and then after visit the toy section and you're sure to find something for the kiddo in your life. Great place to go for holiday shopping because their prices are competitive and you get to support a local business instead of a big box, plus you'll be lucky to see these items anywhere else! On a recent trip, I bought drawing supplies for me and magnatile minis for a Christmas gift. It can be tricky to find the staircase down between the other colorful businesses on the street, but give it a shot and you won't be disappointed.

The art supply: A very nice selection of art supplies. Sad to say that even with their selection of…read moresketch pads, they did not have the BF's favorite brand. They did have a lot of good stuff in the little back room past the cash register. I even found some heavy duty thread on clearance. The gallery: They are currently showing "Mans and Other" by George Herman. You can make your own judgement if you go. One tip: the paintings change as you get closer or further away.

I had a work of art framed at C.C. Lowell recently. The gentleman who helped me was extremely…read moreknowledgeable and helpful--and the result looks fantastic.

Every time I visit Worcester I find another gem tucked away somewhere in the city, and my past…read morevisit was no exception. I stopped into CC Lowell in hopes of finding a unique card and decorative paper. Within the first five minutes of being in the store, I'd found exactly what I needed - leaving me with a few extra minutes of browsing time. -First and foremost, they carry interesting and unique greeting cards. The selection could be larger, but what they do have is great! -If you need art supplies, this is your place. They have a great selection and several options in each fine art category. Also, don't forget to check out the display of historical art supplies in the back of the shop!! -Upon entering the store, there is an awesome table full of small gift items. If you are looking for a quick, unique gift, CC Lowell does not disappoint in this department. -The staff is pleasant and helpful - making an already great shopping experience even better. CC Lowell will likely make the ever-growing must visit list for me when I'm in Worcester.