Flax Art & Design
Categories: Framing, Cards & Stationery, Art Supplies [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Hayes Valley, SOMA1699 Market Street
(between Gough St & Valencia St)
San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 552-2355
A free event for kids aged 5 and up. Paint, draw,…
Announced 3 weeks ago
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 9:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
171 Reviews for Flax Art & Design
One of Flax Art & Design's Favorite Reviews
They have everything you need here for all your artistic needs. They have an amazing selection of paper and pens, which are my two weaknesses. I always walk out with more than I should have. I love the way the store is organized - you really can browse in there forever. The staff is really helpful as well.
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It's an interesting as hell hell place but a bit pricey and the staff is maybe a little understimulated coz they don't know much about their products. I would buy art supplies from a real art store before going here; however, if I'm picking up a packaged gifty thing, it's fine.
The best place to get things framed, period. They do a terrific job, are great at making suggestions that help you save money, and are really nice to work with. I had a horrible experience at Cheap Pete's and will never go back there. Since then I've brought everything to Flax and have been really happy.
The only con is that it's a dangerous place for your wallet. They have so many cool things that you really, really want to buy, that you need to have strong willpower when you wander around.
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This is heaven for artists! Walls and walls and drawers and drawers of craft paper in every texture, color and thickness. There's a on site framing department. A section for the kiddies to pickup educational toys.You'll be sure to find a journal in the color and size with the particular kind of paper you want. Paint and brushes that come on every size imaginable. Envelopes with matching note cards to all shapes and sizes. Whatever art project you had in mind, you're bound to find everything you need in this store.
I seriously spent 1.5 hrs in this place and no,there was not a shoe section in sight! There'parking in front and in the back on McCoppin street.
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I'm trying to think of an art supply/ craft that they don't sell.
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hmmm... I got nothing. Ok, how about a question they can't answer?
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hmmm... I got nothing. Ok, how about ANYTHING wrong with them?
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hmmm... I got nothing.
Conclusion: You (*insert positive word here*) art, you go here.
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FLAX is definitely one of the largest GOOD art stores I've ever seen, but more importantly, their selection of goods for the papercrafter is the best in San Francisco. From an immense variety of papers for printing to the largest selection of book and chip board I've ever seen, FLAX has pretty much anything you'd need for printmaking, bookbinding, and all-around papercrafting in general.
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Huge! This place is gi-normous. I don't know why I've never been here. Every section is broken down fairly well. There are some unconventional organizational choices, like pairing together the adhesive section with the art book section. Separating the pen section from the pencil section is also kinda odd.
But these are slight quibbles because the place is very clean and well kept. They even have a fancy pen section. What I really like about each section is that it is staffed by someone who seems like they know their stuff. Now you don't have to go on a hunt for a staff member.
While they have a huge selection of papers, stationery, crafts, and art supplies; I didn't find much sculpture and art furniture. But keep in mind I didn't totally take inventory on everything, so they might have what you're looking for.
___
A HUGE well kept art supply store. Apt for casual crafters to the nuanced artist. Tends to be on the pricey side so you might want to check out Amazon.
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I don't think most working artists are going to do all of their shopping here but it's good in a pinch. I've been adding to my studio for over a decade and its done by piecemeal. You get a little bit from estate and garage sails, some from ebay, and some you nicked from your old job's supply closet. Usually if I need something down the road I'll do some research and find the best price but if I need something right away Flax is convenient and has high end products for the few people who actually require them. If you're a high school student or art is just sort of a hobby, I would save your money and go to Utrecht. What do you need to spend sixty dollars on a kolinsky sable for?
The staff, at least the ones I know and deal with, are actually working artists and they know their stuff probably as well as anyone in retail could be expected to.
It's well organized.
It's very expensive.
It has way more crafty stuff than I would want in my perfect art store but then the world doesn't revolve around me and my creative endeavors. Or does it?
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Just a quick note about the previous review: I sincerely doubt this happened as the last guy described it. I am a longtime framing customer of Flax and I love their attention to detail and professionalism. Maybe you don't have to wait at all at Fast Frame or Cheap Petes, but you get product that looks bad and Flax spends the time to get it right. Perhaps someone was actually in front of this guy and he didn't know. Also, "Mr. Perkins," (who is not old, btw) knows a lot of us customers by name so it probably was not a personal phone call, but a talkative customer. Beyond that, Flax does not cut paper down as a general rule because I am sure it gets out of hand and they still went above and beyond for you. Anyway, everyone is entitled to opinion, and it might have just been miscommunication, but this has not been my experience.
One of my bestests friends on this mass we exist on is an arteeest. His name is Jason Adkins and if you don't know him yet, you will! I absolutely adore his work and am lucky enough to own 3 of his pieces and now that all of the grunt work has been done on my new place, like painting and building stuff, I get to tackle the fun projects like decorating. Which is why I came to Flax on Saturday and picked out some frames to surround these beautiful works of art.
I was helped out by the lovely Jessica and together we found some frames that are deliciously cool. One, I never in a million years would have thought to go with, but it is perfect and really makes the painting pop. The other is a nice bold frame that says, Don't mess with me, I'm awesome. And that is exactly the kind of attitude I like in my art holders.
As for the prices, well, framing ain't cheap, especially when you are going with custom frames, but when they add so much to the art, is price really important. Me thinks not. It's going to take about 2 weeks til I get to bring them home, but I feel confident that they are in good creative hands.
Thanks yelpers for helping me find this place! Ya did your jobs once again :)
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I have been going to FLAX for over 14 years now......WOW I am old!!!!! -- I started to seriously collection artworks about 8 years ago and ever since I have gotten all them framed/reframed all at FLAX. The staff at Flax is always friendly but more importantly the framing department staff is so reliable and have a serious eye for the framing crast, especially the framing manager - sorry his name has escaped me.....but he's been there over 10 years now............
I'm sure there are tons of reviews for Flax worth reading, so I'll keep it simple and to the point!
Here's what I LOVE about Flax:
- Big selection of stationary papers and envelopes in zillions of gorgeous hues that you really can't find most other places!
- FREE PARKING!!!
- Student/Instructor/Business discounts
- Great BARGAIN room where you can pick up cute art cards for only $1-2 each!
- Extensive, interactive kids' department where you can park your child at a table with paints and let him/her enjoy the Flax experience, too!
- Huge RULER selection, great place to pick up rulers you'd need for clothing pattern drafting, if you can't make it over to Britex or somewhere like that!
- Knowledgeable, friendly, appropriately artsy staff
The CONS:
- This place is VERY pricey!!! Some items you can find for much less money at other art supply stores or online, which might be overall a better option
- They don't carry textiles such as yarn, string, fabric, etc., which some other art stores do
- Everything is higher end, so sometimes if you're looking for something basic and budget-conscious, you can get frustrated here
- The frames are waaaay expensive - you'd do better at Cheap Pete's!
This is a place I go for high-end purchases when I'm working with a higher budget. If you're on a tighter budget, want basic art supplies, nothing terribly fancy, this probably isn't the right store for your needs. But if you're looking for stationary of a very specific hue and weight upon which to print the perfect wedding invitations, or a fancy, artsy messenger bag in which to carry your arts supplies, this is definitely your destination!!
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When you're the son of an architect who spent three days a week doing his own architectural work while simultaneously babysitting you at one of his many Whittier offices, you learn how to occupy yourself.
I attribute my love of reading, bookstores, T-squares, and that one Mozart suite (?) on the tape my dad played over and over and over to the many hours I spent drawing or reading or quietly playing on the carpet at my dad's office. I never did homework there because, well, I was an uptight kid and probably thought you were supposed to only do homework at home. So part of why I'm so good and spending tons of time saying absolutely nothing even though I'm a raving extrovert is because of my dad.
My dad is also responsible for taking me to too many cool art- and architectural-supply stores. Most of them, sadly, are now RIP. I would always try to persuade my dad that he needed more colored pencils or more replacement erasers for his electric eraser or more bathroom-fixture stencils. He usually didn't bite, but he would sometimes buy me some of this stuff, which was totally cool because there were certain things in his office that we weren't allowed to touch. Ever.
So when I walked into this place last year to buy my dad a birthday present of an easel, it was like returning to my childhood. Except this time, I had promised him he could pick out what he wanted, and this time, I paid for it. It was kind of scary to be the one in charge, but it was fun.
I love art stores like this. They're probably overpriced, but where else are you going to go for some of this stuff?
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Art stores make me kinda hot. I mean, what's more sexy than all the tools that help you become a goddess of creative energy?
The only thing that kinda sucks? Flax may be easy on the eyes...but she's hard on the wallet.
Wait, I've heard that said about me before. Heh. No wonder we get along so well.
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Been there, done that. This place is great! I'm here all the day and I wouldn't consider myself an artist. Oh, free PARKING!!!
I was taking care of delicate wash in the bathroom sink when he telephoned saying he was already on the way, and here he teased all my panties hanging from a beam then he called me an artist until I refused to kiss him. Because I do not claim to be anything. But he thinks the best of me.
I wore a slip working around my warm apartment.
He pointed to a smidge of yellow paint on my face.
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I am consistently disappointed in the selection of everything at Flax, and I really don't understand why it is so highly regarded. In fact, I only go there because it is close to my house. I fist thought Flax fans were just people who weren't serious crafters, but I've had several art teachers point me in Flax's direction as well.
*Mind is Boggled*
Flax uses the shotgun approach in that it offers a wide array of "creative" items but offers very little in actual selection of these items (with the curious exception of an entire room devoted to patterned large format papers...?), and misses certain items all together.
I don't understand why, being such a spacious building, they don't stock more. They are consistently out of whatever I need or don't sell it at all- and I don't even need anything that specific! Flax is full of vast empty spaces punctuated with things like a water color counter, with two choices of water colors- or a stand with a single set of pens and inks.
Today I needed a black brush pen, and while one employee pointed out they actually had three different brands of brush pens, they didn't have black pens in any of those three brands. Come on, a black pen with a brush tip is pretty basic. The employee seemed to indicate they wouldn't be getting any more in.
It just bothers me when everyone really loves some place and I can't figure out why. I think the people who like Flax are lying to themselves. My suggestion: unless you need to make 400 holiday-themed paper place-mats, shop somewhere else!!
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I like this place, but it is a little pricy, and I was once looking for a scoop coater for silk screening, and the person in the paint department, which carries the silk screening supply's asked me "what's that?" Plus the silk screening supplies that they have are pretty minimal. Other than that, they are pretty friendly, and there is a lot to get there, and it's a heck of a lot easier to get to than downtown.
i could spenmd all day in here. in fact some days I think i do;; lol
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As far as art stores go, this place is Beautiful! I could spend Hours here (and often do) because it's aisles are so neatly organized by genre- and they cover it all. Calligraphy, scrap booking, a wonderful kids section that'll bring back memories of delightful and artistic 5th or 6th bday parties, acrylics, oils, watercolors, easels, first-time paint kits, paintbrushes galore (I was just there and spent a good 30 minutes just to pick out 3 paint brushes.... I swear they have every size, with thicknesses depending on a single strand! hey, makes a difference when you're trying to control dobs of paint). They're pretty helpful too, if you ask. My only things is..... man oh man is it expensive. But, I suppose, most art supplies are. And at least here there's not much digging- it's large and organized and lovely to browse through.
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some random old man who looked like anthony perkins made me wait at the frame counter for about 10 minutes. when he finally asked me what i needed, he said, "oh, you need blahblah paper instead." before i could ask him to repeat his garbled speak, he was off on the phone where i overheard him say, "oh, nice, how is your nephew." i stood and waited, patiently...10 more minutes..he still is talking about studio 54 days with some personal friend on the phone. i go off to find this mysterious blahblah paper, and discover what i guess is it on my own, and come back. wa-la! mr. perkins is still on the phone for about 20 more minutes...yes, twenty! when he finally hangs up from planning the family reunion, he sees me, ignores me, takes another customer, who was behind me, and then, when she is done, starts hanging out with two buddies and chatting them up about stanford. he casually looks up and puffs, "go pay for that at the register while you are waiting." but i had more shopping to do and crap, if it's taken this long i'd better stay put. lord knows i didnt want the phone to ring again and have him running down memory lane. so i said, "ill just keep waiting." at one point, i approached the cashier and asked if he could cut the paper for me. "no, sorry." so, back to waiting by the bates hotel. 5 more, 10 more minutes. the cashier saw mr. perkins ignoring me and got on the loudspeaker, "we need extra help at framing please." 5 more minutes and someone came to help he who was very nice. he took the measurements, and said come back in five minutes. when i returned from picking up some pen cartridges and a moleskin book, my paper was cut and mr. perkins was no where in sight, just the new guy. i guess he was off to track down janet leigh or something. this bummed me out, because i wanted to get his autograph and tell him how lame, rude, and painful his customer service had been. store-10, mr. perkins customer service-0
They recently added a new student discount (yay).
This place is overwhelmingly awesome, so much selection with staff that really knows what they're talking about. Its also a cool place to go for gift-shopping for the artisticly inclined.
i really like wandering around flax, even though the last two times they haven't had what i needed (brass strips and a japanese hole punch or paper drill). it's so big, i can always find a section i haven't explored yet. they also have the biggest paper and board stock selection i've seen yet in the city. service has always been super nice to me, and i love the 10% educator discount.
When I wanted a perfectly tiered wrapped gift for my friend's baby shower, I was perfectly fine going all out with the gift wrap, and so I went to Flax. I know, I know, the gift wrap gets shredded and thrown away anyways. Certain little things in life give me a thrill. I admit that I am a gift wrapping queen and fiend, and I love the process of wrapping and staring at beautiful packaging.
It is very much true of all the lovely paper and gift wrapping collection here. I am sure many people have to find very good reason to splurge at this art supply store for that fleeting object yet everlasting blissful feeling.
Flax is your one stop shop for every creative thing you'd wanna do. Super nice staff. Eric is the Dalai Lama of the customer service world. Ask about his custom Silver work. The ring he showed me was a beautiful piece and i plan on commissioning him to do some work for my girl friend. Cool atmosphere that inspired me to take up a few projects, while i shopped for others.
Great place to grab some last minute gifts for the creative folks in your life. Pearl is cool, but Flax is an artists' utopia. Highly recommended.
What a great place to shop. They've got a lot of everything, but it's all at retail prices. I find it best to shop at Flax for ideas, then go six blocks down to Pearl and buy it there for considerably less. I'll place two caveats on this description though. Flax has an outstanding fountain pen selection (retail or otherwise,) and their paper department seems a lot more diverse. That being said, I visit occasionally to browse and be awed by lots of colorful things, and rarely walk out without buying something. But I suppose if you're a serious (starving) artist, you probably won't be stocking up on supplies here.
I like going to Flax for journals. They have a large selection of journals and you can find some nice ones for a few dollars. Flax is huge! Whenever I brose this place I always find cool things. Most I'm not willing to pay for so I just get a journal or two. This place is much larger than is looks from the outside. There's a small parking lot.
I know I can get a package wrapped here, find a frame, or an unusual gift....period....and that's why I like it.
It helps I live across the street.
YES: cashiers need smile training.
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After an abysmal experience at Britex the other day, I decided to drag my butt to Flax for replacement blades for my rotary cutter. Honestly, I didn't think they'd have it, I just hadn't been there in years and wanted to stop by.
But you know what? They did!! And at almost $2 less than Britex (had they had it in stock).
I managed to leave without buying anything else, which is quite a feat at Flax - apparently they have everything an artist/crafter could ever need. But I kept my blinders on, and escaped with just the blades.
The staff was helpful, and ridiculously good looking.
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Flax bugs me and I go there all the time because it's on my way to the studio. They just don't stock the basics. If you are making a scrapbook, you're all set here. But if you need a replacement paintbrush or a tube of white paint, or a marker in a basic color they are always out.
Stock the basics people, if I have to have something today and I can't wait to have it shipped to me, I just wish I could count on this store because it's so close to me. But alas.
The people are nice, but customer service isn't really why I go to the art supply store.
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They must be doing something right. They are celebrating their 70th year here in SF this year. That really means something. I have shopped there since my youth and still think fondly of Flax.
Thanks for being there!
Horrible, horrible customer service. You know the grunge wannabe's that you'd see working at Tower Records? They've now all become cashiers at Flax. Ask for your items to be bagged and they hand you a bag and turn away. And that's after spending $120!! Ask someone to help you find an item and they'll vaguely point somewhere and walk away. The store manager should be embarassed.
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Flax flax flax flax flax. Oh, how I wish I were crafty. I am so *inspired* by your beautiful offerings, especially the most incredible selection of paper in the entire world. But it comes home and sits in drawers. I could still spend an hour plus looking at everything in all of the departments much more happily than an hour in most museums.
I limit my purchases to the most practical of items (handheld handwriting receptacles), but these notebooks/journals have paper you want to fondle, even the covers can be works of art. And they make great gifts for fellow note takers. Clairfontaine, Rhodia & Miquelrius are the most trusted brands, the super fancy ones come & go.
Customer service counters throughout the store staffed with friendly people. Nice touch. Unfortunately your last point of contact can be a grumpy/zoned out cashier.
I love Flax.
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Love this place! Free parking close to my home and a great selection on paper. Me and PaperPill can spend hours inside. Lock your credit card and go shop now at Flax.
**Bathroom Review
Flax has the best non-intrusive/semi-public bathroom in this area of Market St/between Van Ness and Octavia.
5 stars for location...especially after having to pee for 1/2 an hour walking around this part of town looking at each next passing doorway with lowering standards.
4 stars for cleanliness.
5 stars for the perfect place to wander around in after you've found your rescue-potty place.
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I am only giving this store four stars because I am not sure how the prices compare to other art stores. I happened to find some great deals- this place has super cheap canvasses. Really, though, Flax's greatest quality is the vast amount of wonderful supplies. I went in, having never used acrylics before, expecting to find the basics. However, it was rather overwhelming to discover that there are a million different kinds of acrylics, mattes, glosses, and so on...and Flax seems to have them all. I could go on and on, but just do yourself a favor and go in. Explore. Have fun!
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Flax has a lotta cool shit. I like wandering around and letting the materials inspire me. The staff is knowledgeable as well, which is incredibly helpful. The prices are high. Not low.......high. So this is a great place to go after a bonus, or a tax return.
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Say what you will about their bloated inventory of gifty items (unique).
Go on about the short selection of overpriced printmaking papers while there are hundreds of flat drawers of truly exotic samples with bark and such (astounding).
Let loose on their huge supply of kids' art materials (dust on the Xbox).
Bitch all you want about the +15%, it pays for the parking lot in the back (convenience has its price).
They were the only game in town with an abundance of archival poly-cel sleeves to protect my matted woodblock prints and make me look professional (prayers answered).
...and big ups for a creative storefront that transformed a stretch of our vital Market street.
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FLAX is perhaps a bay area art institution. It's pricey here, but nothing beats the selection of materials they have.
I don't think you can find a better selection of papers anywhere else. They have an entire room full of it.
I bought gold leaf here...I mean who the hell carries gold leaf? They also had nice white gloves. I have to go back a pick up another pair.
I go to Blick or Pearl for the everyday stuff, but when I can't find what I'm looking for, FLAX is my next choice.
Flax is huge, and has a great selection and tons of gorgeous paper. I love walking around a looking at all the stuff.
The prices are generally higher than competitors such as Utrecht, but it's a much more inspiring space to shop for art materials, and I like to support independant stores when my college budget allows for it. They've recently added a 10% student discount which is fabulous.
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