I love going to the Berkeley Blick Art Materials store. It a pilgrimage for me. I remember crossing…read morethe Bay from SF when I was young going to a "giant" artist supplies store on Univeristy Avenue. This is the next best thing to that. Now that I'm relatively speaking "Old" I take my joys where I find them. If you ask me to go out for a good time, first take me to the Berkeley take me to 10th St. Blick and then to Berkeley Bowl West to pick up something great for dinner. You think I am joking, but I am not. I had a wonderful time and got loads of goodies. I would say the real value at Blick is immediacy. We old school folks like to touch the merchandize. We have respect for the time saved, finding what you want when you want or need it. The people that worked there were very lovely and helpful. The were probably humoring us. Three old ladies touching everything, laughing having some kind of celebration at the Art Store. It was a sort of special occasion and my choice was to go to Blick. It isn't far from home but it can be a challenghIt is a beautifully equipped establishment The only problem I had was at the colored pencils. The font size on the labels was so small could only guess. My.only difficulty at home was am individual Prismacolor green pencil. Broke so many times during sharpening it left the beloved Color just slightly over half the size.

Prices are high. Variety on hand is low (much easier to Buy online )…read moreStaff at the cash register was nice, the older gentlemen , the one younger floor attendant was short with us and not very helpful. Bad shopping experience.

My son just attended a birthday party in this little hidden gem. The space is inviting and the kids…read morehad so much fun . The instructors were so kind and engaging with the kids . My little boy is already asking to go back again ! Definitely recommended !

We just had our 10 year old's bday here! Every thing was great, and the kids really got in to the…read moreproject we picked (felt succulent gardens). Planning to come back soon for an adult night (or another private party with my girl friends!).

Man this place is awesome. They have an incredible collection of stuff, not just for knitting and…read moreembroidery but also all sorts of cool little gifts and projects and fun things. The people who work there are super nice. This is just a really adorable cute store.

Incredible selection of colors, fibers, lengths, weights! They have local brands and brands from…read morearound the world. A comprehensive browse of the offerings would probably take an afternoon. The staff member was friendly and helpful. Outside of yarn and tools, they have a lot of fun knick knacks, purses, handmade items, crafting kits, kid-friendly crafts and toys.

There is no place like this place. It's such a beautiful store, filled with all sorts of absolutely…read moreexquisite things, nothing like typical Mexican import places. You feel like you're in a museum surrounded by artifacts, except the prices are so reasonable. Talavera Ceramics brings the real Mexico to us. And there's no one like Lilia, the amazingly knowledgeable gal who has run the place for 20 years. She and the store are truly Bay Area treasures!

We are so happy to have our wood burning oven finally completed. The tiles we chose were special…read moreorder, but work the wait. This oven has been used for years and we finally got our tiles done, long over due. There were so many options, it was hard to choose.

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.

What a magical little shop. I'm a fan of Theatre of Dreams in Crockett and saw they recommended…read moreTinsel Trading. Finally got a chance to visit and wish I could've stayed longer to explore every nook and cranny of the shop. I was immediately attracted to the doodahs section which had buttons, metal pieces, glass pieces of tile, cameos, buttons, etc. Grabbed quite a few of these items. They have a selection of ribbon, old and new, by the yard or spool. Since it's Christmas time, they have all sorts of ornaments and decorations. Recommend for any fans of crafting and/or John Derian. Will come back!

This was such a super cute store!…read more I came in browsing for gifts and found Tinsel Trading to be jam packed with so many fun gift and scrapbooking items. They had decorative items for hats, or to antique props, and great items to finish off your gift. They even had some local artwork for sale! The service was was friendly, helpful, and wearing a mask, and it was fairly easy to traverse the space, even with as many items as they sell. I'll definitely return during the holidays to add a little holiday cheer to my gifts!

This is a great place for all your fabric needs with experts' advice delivered to you with…read morekindness. I always feel intimidated in fabrics store but not there. Don't hesitate to ask - the staff are super helpful. The only bad question is the one you don't ask. Pricing is reasonable and the quality is always there; cheap project to high end ones. Parking on the street with meters.

Amazing selection, there is so much variety and everything feels like great quality, prices are…read morevery affordable, staff are friendly and very helpful. I was visiting a friend and we had an hour to spend here before leaving for a vet appointment, but honestly I could wander in here for hours. It's been a week since I visited, and I'm already itching to go back.

"ETSY in person", as someone in this STORE said today (this is a store of artists' creations that…read moreare all for sale, NOT just a gallery to view art). It's a fabulous place to buy amazing art and fine crafts at very reasonable prices. Highly recommended for that special and unique gift- to someone or to yourself!

Acci Gallery in Berkeley is a light filled space. It's our first visit, although it's been here for…read more65 years, housed in a brick building near the Gourmet Ghetto that feels like a throwback to an earlier Bay Area art scene. The gallery is a good place to find ceramics, jewelry, and canvases by local artists. I noticed a collection of precise woodblock prints featuring mushrooms and fungi, and a small collection of arresting portraits by local artist, Stephen Maffin, reminiscent of Italian frescoes but also unmistakably contemporary. I miss seeing genuinely authentic, quirky art venues like this around the Bay Area.