NYC Craft Stores

January 16, 2005 9:48 AM

Where I can I find a good all-purpose craft store in Manhattan or Brooklyn? Seems like there would be an abundance, but I can't find anything. I'm thinking something like AC Moore, but their closest location is Jersey.

Help!
posted by paulrockNJ to shopping (10 comments total)

something like pearls or utrecht, or is that more arty and less crafty than what you need?

there's also sam flax but that seems to be more about decoration than supplies, and I don't think it's related to the SF flax (or is it?)
posted by dorian at 10:00 AM on January 16, 2005

Wow. You're right. I thought Manhattan had everything. I guess Pearl Paint is your best bet, and they aren't very crafty.
Hey look, a niche. Wanna go in on a sure-fire business?
posted by CunningLinguist at 10:04 AM on January 16, 2005

the other thing is, if you go around the area by the pearls in chinatown (in which store I've bought such disparate things as: 140# hot press fabriano paper, a 5kg block of soapstone, and a plastic model kit of a chinese fighter jet) , there are absolutely tons of places you can wander into selling all manner of plastics, ceramics, woods, &c. -- just get south-ish off canal street, look for open doors and industrial type atmospheres, and don't be afraid to go inside. (better to go during business hours on a weekday tho)
posted by dorian at 10:17 AM on January 16, 2005

Try Lee's Art Shop at 57th and Broadway.

Of course they have paints, easels, canvas, and that sort of thing (the Art Students' League building is right across the street) but if you go to the rear of the first floor you'll also find a surprising amount of general crafty stuff: beads, knitting supplies, model-making supplies, clay, glitter, etc.
posted by GrammarMoses at 11:53 AM on January 16, 2005

Ah, this annoyed the crap out of me when I lived in NYC. I had to wander all over the city to pull together everything I needed for my jewelry making. I bought the beads from Phoenix, the findings online, the packaging from Pearl River Mart in Chinatown, and the inks for my tags at Pearl Paint.

You might want to think about renting a Zipcar and making day trips to the 'burbs to stock up.
posted by astruc at 11:55 AM on January 16, 2005

There's also The Art Store, on Bond Street, which has a slightly different selection of items than Pearl, still not very crafty. Maybe in Queens, or Brooklyn. Citysearch Queens lists "Jerrys Artarama"?
posted by Jack Karaoke at 12:29 PM on January 16, 2005

A.I. Friedman? They are in Chelsea.
posted by MLIS at 12:50 PM on January 16, 2005

What exactly are you looking for?

My family runs a sculpture supply store on Vandam St. - The Compleat Sculptor.

They sell a lot of craftsy things.
posted by Caviar at 6:25 PM on January 16, 2005

Agh! I know how you feel. Pearl Paint (and all of their nearby branches--the actual "Craft" section of Pearl is on the street behind the main branch) is okay, but it skews heavily toward fine artists and not crafters. But dorian is right, there are lots of other places to wander around in nearby, like Industrial Plastics (they have great styrofoam forms).

If you're looking for sequins, buttons, ribbons, and other "notions," you might check out this mega-list of Garment District shops. I can vouch for M&J Trimmings' incredible array of ribbons and trim, and Toho Shoji is a bead lover's paradise.

Last time I needed craft stuff, I finally bit the bullet and convinced a friend with a car to drive me to a Michael's. We hit one wa-a-a-y out on the other side of JFK that I found after messing around with their zip search, but I think Queens (or even Staten Island) would have been closer, as I live in Brooklyn. As far as craft chains, I think Michael's is it. Back home we had Hobby Lobby, too, but I guess they're regional.

I just read about the new Pratt store that opened, and I'm eager to check it out. Until then, I've been perusing the Dick Blick catalogs, which are good if you know exactly what you want.

If you find a Michael's accessible via NYC public transit, let me know!
posted by leslita at 7:06 AM on January 17, 2005

Paul, in case you check back: FYI I tried emailing you twice and gmail failed both times to get through. I just wanted to suggest teaming up to hit the burbs some time in the spring.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:08 PM on January 20, 2005