Based on the recommendation of someone we met while listening to jazz one night, we decided to venture to Planet Bead. It really is an amazing to see such a variety of beads! Wow! The store is super full though and has excess junk in the back that is visible. Great customer service. Keith really knows his beads and can make whatever you request. We ultimately purchased four bracelets and some earrings that ended up costing $150. I'd say that was pretty pricey honestly. I mean the beads were nice, but not like some expensive/rare stones. I understand part of the charge is labor, but not sure I'd say it's worth that price. Not to mention, one of the bracelets broke after only wearing it once so we need to return to have it repaired-which is inconvenient since we live in Chicago. So...good place to visit...proceed with caution in terms of your purchase. read more

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They have EVERYTHING! Reasonably priced too. The owner dude is so cool- really helpful, and had some great suggestions. Even gave me a few crimper beads to try since the ones I was using weren't "good enough" haha. Will definitely be coming back for all my bead needs! read more

I bought some beads here with my husband and son. I really recommend supporting local stores like this one, instead of going to bigger stores. I was recommended to go to this store by a friend, and I am glad to have stopped by and grab items for my crochet designs. Please stop in they have friendly service, knowledgeable owner, and variety of beads and items. read more

Planet Bead - Beads, needles, etc. - Art Supplies Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Wonderful store and a perfect one for the area! The owner was outstanding and very helpful! He was a joy to work with. And, he might have a watch for sale... Nonetheless, it was a great store and one I would frequent again! read more

Keith replaced my watchband quickly. He also repairs watches. So nice to work with and his store is amazing!

Skip going to Michael's or Joanna's fabric and take yourself to the magical land of planet bead. I was unsure of what to expect and was impressed by this hidden gem of a store in our very downtown. I love to make bracelets for friends and this store had everything I needed and then some. Keith, the owner, was so welcoming and made sure I knew the ins and outs of how beads can be purchased along with educational tips along the way. Keith made sure all the customers in the store were taken care of and his customer service is beyond exceptional. I was able to take my time, ask questions and enjoyed my time. This is a spot you don't want to miss and I can't believe it took me 12 years to finally make it here but I did! You can find beads ranging in price based on the quality of the beads. You'll be able to find beautiful pendants as well as real crystal specimen beads at different grades. Need gifts for a friend, this is a great spot to pick up your next treasure for them. Thank you Keith! read more

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This is an amazing store! Fully stocked with beads from around the world! Keith is always there to help you and can answer almost any question you have!! Highly recommend! read more

Planet Bead - The facade - Art Supplies Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The best possible store for finding beads you will ever find. They sell unique individual beads, strings of beads, bags of beads, handmade, genuine rock, metal, glass, tiny beads, big beads, normal beads, crazy fun beads you couldn't even predict, everything in all colors... anything you could possibly want or need and then some. They also have all the tools for jewelry making as well as yarn and string, basically everything you need, with little hidden treasures in the mix. Keith is a gem, so friendly and helpful. The prices are extremely reasonable. I love this place so much and going there is always a treat. I could walk around in it all day and still want to keep going. 100000/10! read more

We were referred here to have my daughter's music box repaired (Ariel the Mermaid) as a surprise for her 25th birthday. Keith was extraordinarily helpful in meeting with us and then fixing the music box. Quite extraordinary and my daughter loves it. Wonderful :) read more

Planet Bead - Ariel lives again, thanks to Keith and Planet Bead - Art Supplies Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I went in for the first time and staff was very personable and helpful in finding what I needed as well as extra tips for making the jewelry

I am not, by far, a bead or crystal guy and they many look cool, but I don't believe in the "energy" they possess. But they have some cool skull things that I purchased and they fix watches and the owner is really cool. He has been around the world fixing ancient clocks and is a wealth of knowledge about time pieces, their history, and the beads and rare stones and crystals they have. Get here if you are into this kind of thing, the collection is huge. read more

Prices weren't too bad, they have lots of beautiful stones and you can easily spend an afternoon looking at everything. To be let it, you just need to loiter in front for a few mins or so. read more

This is my little secret for the huge gauges. I love the format, the flow and the atmosphere. I've travelled here several times in the past, just to see what's new here, because like some pilgrimage to a far away place, you step back in time as soon as you enter the store. If there is anything that you're looking for when it comes to beads, jewelry, wires, gauges, find it here. The man behind the desk is an expert, doing the job he's doing for away over 20 years (I know because I've travelled here that long). Anything that you see here, it's going to be of the upmost elegance, crafting, creativity, and overall excellence. This little gem is the best of the best in the Midwest. read more

Although I didn't come here for beads, which the collection is pretty extensive, I must say that Keith was very lovely to work with in getting my watches adjusted and repaired. I came to him to adjust a couple of bands to fit, and to actually replace a watch band since the original had deteriorated. He took it in for a week or so, replaced the band with one that I chose, kept me updated through the process, and informed me when it was done. I also had a weird band attachment on my watch, but he was able to make it work! read more

This is a fantastic resource for bead artisans! The carry an amazing variety of beads and great knowledge for how to work with them. They are happy to sit down and discuss how to achieve your ideas! Very generous with their knowledge. What an amazing resource! read more

Whoa. I really like this place, you guys. I checked Planet Bead out based on the recommendation of a fellow Yelper, as I was in the immediate - and I mean next door immediate, at Cubanitas - area yesterday and happened to remember that I needed a new chain for the pendant I bought on my trip to Costa Rica earlier this year. Said Yelper said Planet Bead was the spot, and said Yelper was wicked right. Upon entering, one can't help but notice and marvel at the row upon rows of sparkles, beads, chains, gemstones, beautiful rocks, pendants... seriously. It's almost overwhelming how vast the selection of beads and jewelry-making supplies is at Planet Bead. I was warmly greeted by Keith (I can only assume he's the owner) who asked what he could help me with. I explained what I needed and what I wanted, and he put together a chain for me right then and there... it only took him about 10 minutes! We worked out material, desired length, and he even went so far as to ask me how "rough" I am on things in order to ascertain what kind of closure to affix to the chain. (It's an industrial-ish one if that tells you anything... ) During this time, a very needy/somewhat rude couple came in demanding Keith's immediate attention. He expertly navigated their 400 questions and remained diplomatic to their repeated queries as he continued to put together the chain he was making for me. He also took two phone calls during that time, all without pause. Professionalism on the real! While Keith worked, I perused the store a bit only to find ware upon ware that I wanted to wear, craft, and create. I decided, for a single moment, that I might abandon all other career aspirations and start making and selling jewelry on Etsy. (I don't really want to do this, because as much as I'd like to tell myself I have the artisanal/crafty spirit, I'm not sure I do. Planet Bead just made me second guess myself for a second, that's how good they are.) If you like making jewelry, you should go. If you need a fix, you should go. Oh! And I almost forgot! They also do classes AND Keith fixes old-timey watches, too. He might fix new-timey or mid-timey watches as well, but he showed me the inside workings of a pocketwatch from 1904. (I thought this was wicked cool and although some might think nerdy, not nerdy because old stuff and how things work = interesting, you know?) Planet Bead is off the chain. Heh. read more

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I visited this place out of the blue so I could get a new necklace. Keith, the store owner was a great help!! He was very friendly and was interested in helping me find the right crystals. He even put the necklace together for me and tailored the wires and crystals to my liking. I really appreciated his passion for the store! Definitely will be recommending this place to many people. Worth a try to check it out!! read more

Planet Bead - Art Supplies Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Keith is a marvel. We are from out of town and have been going to Planet Bead every year we visit. It's fantastic! Such a beautiful selection and such a special place. Keith put together a glorious custom necklace of my daughter's first lost tooth. It is so special and meaningful, delicate and lovely and exactly what I was looking for. He drew it out for me and went out of his way to work to get it finished quickly. Planet Bead is a very wonderful place and Keith has such a peaceful energy to him - do yourself a favor and check it out! read more

I walked in and my head exploded. BEADS. BEADS. BEADS. BEADS. BEADS. OHMYGOSH THERE ARE SOOOOOO MANY BEADS. (and trinkets, bags and a good selection of yarn) This place has everything you could possibly want in bead form. Seriously. Seed beads, stone, glass, ethnic, metal and so much more. It would take hours if not days to see everything in here. Beads are sold in strands, bags or sing ally depending on what you're looking for. It can get pricey, so if you're a pro you're better off buying wholesale, but everything is so incredibly beautiful I found that it was worth it. They also carry any other supplies like cutters, clasps, and wire. Seriously, anything you could possibly want is here, and things you didn't even know you wanted. They've been around for 14 years and I regret not discovering them when I used to live in WI. The guy working embodies Midwestern friendliness and will answer any question or just chat if you're looking for inspiration. It's the biggest and best bead store in the Wisconsin area, and many make the drive from Chicago. It beats any bead store I've ever seen. It's just that great. If you want beads, beading supplies, or just a fun afternoon of wandering this is absolutely, hands down, no question the place to go. In fact, you MUST go. read more

I'm warning you.. you will probably underestimate the amount of time you'll spend in here. It's hard to leave this store! When you walk in, you'll know what I mean. Beads on beads on beads. So many beads! I suppose, it is a bead store after all, but really, there's an insane amount of beads. The layout of the store is nice and organized, with rows of loose beads (color coordinated, of course!) in the front and strings of beads towards the back. There is also a plethora of incense to choose from if that's your thing. If you're like me, tack on another 10+ minutes while you sniff sticks! I thoroughly appreciate being able to buy them individually, versus a pack. Well, back to beads! You will find big beads, microscopic beads, polished beads, raw beads, standard beads, eclectic beads.. It. Goes. On. Anything you're looking for, you'll probably find it here. I'm not even into serious beading, per se, and I love it here. I go for the occasional necklace I want to make, or to jazz something up that I already have with a stone. I've made a couple of earrings as well, but coming into Planet Bead really inspires me. I don't even usually come here with a specific project in mind; the beads themselves are what usually inspire me. Keith also does a great job helping you if you have any questions - about the beads, your project, supplies/tools, repairs, etc. He's extremely knowledgeable. I recently took a large stone ring into Planet Bead to see what else I could do with it. It never fit me all too well, and realistically, it was quite heavy for everyday wear. I loved the stone though, and decided to turn it into a necklace. Keith was able to solder off the ring portion and attached a piece to the top in order to create a pendant. I was extremely happy with his work, and am even more happy that I can wear it again! I highly recommend Planet Bead if you have any sort of jewelry repairs. The only reason I'm giving it 4/5 stars is because pricing, which is slightly on the high side. However, you are paying for high quality beads and craftsmanship (repairs), and it's worth it. read more

This is an awesomeeeeeee bead store! So many different things including tools, and also connectors, wire, etc for the many creative things you can make! This place has literally everything you could need and more! If you need to find anything the employees are very knowledgeable and can give you extra ideas for projects. The reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because the prices are way over priced. I have been to numerous bead stores and this place is not the place to go if you are on a tight budget or live near other bead stores. Other than that great selection! read more

I finally came to this store after knowing about it for a while, definitely not disappointed. Thousands of beads, all kinds you could think of, wood, bone, plastic, rock, crystal. Keith was super friendly and helpful, and he helped me find the exact thing I was looking for, going out of his way searching for it. They had some nice new age stuff as well, some rocks (as well of rock beads of course) and incense, dream catchers etc. The only bad thing is that there is so much to choose from its a bit hard to imagine what to create! I would recommend going in with a plan of what to do, although I am sure Keith can help as well! read more

Planet Bead did a remarkable rehab of a traditional and very intricate 50 year old African beaded item that was amazingly well done. I was amazed at the speed and quality of the work. Perfect in every way - and totally attuned with the spirit of the piece. Absolutely recommend them for everything bead related. Couldn't believe the price either. The people I interacted with were very personable and clear. I have commissioned numerous restoration projects with traditional and old ethnic items but this job tops them all. Look no further. read more

Keith is very passionate and knowledgeable about his craft. He went above and beyond helping me in getting a very special & sentimental Anniversary gift for my wife. I was looking to match stones that she had purchased at Planet Bead 12 years ago while she was visiting from NYC. While that particular Turquoise color was not available, Keith worked tirelessly (over days) to find a suitable replacement. He offered many options in wonderful photos that he had to text me as I had left town. His suggestions were spot on and we chose a stone that my wife and I both love. Keith is not just "Wisconsin nice" he is a kind and sincere person. read more

Went for jewelry repair...very friendly...knowledgeable...professional...felt safe...staff and customers were masked...served quickly but not hastily....I recommend this business... read more

Recently, March 2017, my travels brought me to Milwaukee. During my time there a new acquaintance, who is very into beads, had planned to visit Planet Bead. Having never been to a bead store before, I went along. Words cannot express how wonderful of an experience Planet Beads was! Keith is a real artist, with such intuitive skill and patience. To hear about the different beads, what went into making them and where they came from was very, very interesting to me. He put together some truly beautiful elements that I had picked out, and made a few necklaces and a bracelet that I will always cherish. They are truly unique, quality pieces. Keith also is an antique watch and clock repairman, and to see those time pieces from so long ago working again was a treat. (Plus a toaster from the early 1900's he was working on with a clock mechanism as the timer, was too cool.) This is a must see for all those who wander in world!! I am going to go back again, some day!! read more

Had a necklace to be repaired and a watch band to be sized. Kevin was most helpful and repaired the necklace not only fixing it but improving the structure and clasp. The repairs were reasonably -priced and done perfectly! I will be returning and highly recommend Bead Planet for jewelry repairs! read more

The proprietor does awesome jewelry repairs, too! I had an earring that had lost a turquoise bead, and he fixed it like new. He also rewired some beads for me. read more