Flax Art & Design

Called in advance to have a ceramics kit assembled because I was in a rush.
I show up, front desk lady says that they are making it, and to feel free browse the floor.
After 20 minutes go buy, I start getting extremely irritated, asking again where the kit is. «still being assembled»
Finally she hands it to me, and I am left waiting In a single staffed cash register. A customer has an issue with an item and suddenly the line was completely stopped. I was two away from the front. The lady at the front desk informs me that there is a register in the back. I run straight to it, only to be fifth in line to get helped, at another register which was single staffed.
Most annoying part is there is some guy with a beard who apparently was in charge of putting my ceramics kit together telling the employees to help in the back. When the employee hopped on the register to try and assist, he barked at her that’s not what was helping the situation.
She seemed to know what the issue was, he however, wanted to do what made him get out earlier apparently.
Honestly if you ring people up fast they will leave the store faster which in turn gets the employees out faster. I’ve worked far too long in retail to not know this little fact.

What an awesome arts and crafts store! This place is HUGE and has an amazing selection of all arts materials — from large canvases to premium oil based paints to fabrics and more! You’ll be inspired to start a new project just by walking around the store.
The neighborhood is a little sketchy, but definitely give this store a go if you need some art materials.

This store isn’t like your average commercialized big retail chain type of store. I have never seen so many types of paper, pens, notebooks and things for creating beautiful things. Imagination flows in that store and inspire any person to create something awesome, amazing and original.

I just had incredible above and beyond customer service from Stephen in the framing department. They have a good selection of pre-​made frames but I had an oddly shaped item. Stephen helped me customize a backing to make it work. He’s a real professional.

So amazing and stunning! So many things and prices are pretty good. It’s a super large store, truly my dream come true! I was missing a few things but besides that… So great!

I used to patronize Blick in Berkeley, back in the day but they’ve changed the products they carry so much that I can rarely find what I want.
Where they fail, Flax picks up. Love the setup and the brands (quality) of products they carry.

This place is amazing, period. Its unfortunate they are moving after having that location for so long but it will be at the Fort Mason center which will be awesome for parking and space.

I have been here several times in the past few years. Flax has been a great resource when I cant find what I’m looking for at another location. I feel like the prices are more reasonable now, the service is much better. Management is much better. I have ran into some employees who have been nice and helpful when I am looking for very specific materials.

Went in today for my first time to get watercolors and everyone was absolutely wonderful (even the other customers I encountered!) Anthony, the person behind the counter near the watercolors was super patient and informative while I asked every watercolor question — ever. Definitely will be back!
Thanks, y’all!

Great place to get anything related to art and design. What ever element you ate looking for to let your creativity flow this is the place.

Just a wonderful playground for the artistically inclined or wannabes like me. A great selection of fountain pens from inexpensive to ridiculous, sketch pads and journals from all over the planet, wonderful paints I couldn’t even tell you how to use — paper, amazing textures and patterns you have to see to believe, the word paper does not do it justice. Pens, pencils, brushes that will drag the creativity out of your limp brain cells.
Go!

Flax is a little out of the way for me, so I only end up here after I’ve gone to 2 other art stores and can’t find what I’m looking for. They’ve got a comprehensive collection and a great framing department in the back, so it’s always the last stop even if it isn’t the first.

Flax is really amazing. They have all sorts of paper and craft supplies to get any DIY paper project started. I spent about half an hour looking at all of the printed paper they have available. From vintage floral to handmade paper to japanese silk-​like paper, they have so many options. Their space is incredibly organized and clean. Also, there are numerous colors and can help you custom order anything they don’t have.
In the center area, they also have wonderful pens for any calligraphy connoisseur. I don’t about anyone else, but it really is worth it to have just a really nice pen. And you can find that here.
I can’t speak to any of the scrapbooking or other areas, but they do have the right supplies to help you with it. I was introduced to Gluedots by an employee and I am sold on it!
Their staff is also really helpful and they don’t just walk around and not help, but they ask you how you’re doing! And there actually is enough staff on-​hand, which I appreciate and it really helps keep the space clean, organized and actually help me find what I needed with enough attentiveness to really solidify my project.
I love Flax and could spend numerous hours buying many things I probably don’t need… :)

Nice store, but they sure act like you are going to shop lift. I’m surprised they didn’t pat me down on the way out.

Flax Art & Design is the store on Market with the huge wooden mannequin sticking out of it.
When I got a poster that I wished to mount to foamboard (gotta upgrade from that dorm-​style «tape it to the wall» approach), I finally had a reason to check Flax out.
Flax had everything I wanted and more. It’s one of the largest art supply stores I’ve been to. In a way, it reminded me of Powell’s for books in Portland, but for Arts and Crafts in San Francisco. It has whimsical wavy paths going through the rooms. There’s a room with oil paints and spray adhesive. Another area with poster board and easels and clay. Another area with paper.
With the help of a friendly employee, I got what I needed, and reawakened my childhood love of arts and crafts.

Free tote bag with cool straps. I love the brush pens here, and also the prisma color pencil collection. They have some pretty good deals on canvases. I like bringing my friends here!
The workers are all pretty nice and attentive. It looks like a cool place to work.
Next time I go I will probably get a few mini canvases, including some in black, and maybe some more brush pens. I wish they had a bigger chalk pen color selection.

This is a billboard place. Fantastic resources. The fountain-​pen section sales associates were amazing, pleasant, professional, helpful, detail oriented. Absolutely no pressure on anything — just pure and wonderful customer service.
The materials high quality and the purchasing experience FANTASTICA.

I’ve been really disappointed on both my visits to Flax. I was looking for watercolor paper and a staple gun. They didn’t have a staple gun and the paper selection was limited and very pricey. All the staff seemed to be a bit sleepy/​demotivated.
A complete contrast to Blick (further up Market St.) where they were bright, helpful and better stocked. Such a shame as I really wanted to like this place.

I’ve been a pen and paper junkie for as long as I can remember. Since childhood I would experience euphoria when entering a stationers. It still happens. I think the writing implement love comes from my dad. He was a Cross writing instrument man.
This love of writing instruments has lasted my entire life and I unabashedly refer to myself as a pen whore. If you need a pen in the coming apocalypse, I’m you’re gal. Wait. No. Forget I said that I need them all!!!
I’ve loved the art of letter writing since my single digit years and my love of graph paper in its many varieties is also rooted deeply in my soul. I still have graph paper my dad used when I was 8 or 9. I’m savoring it. Did I mention I hoard graph paper? Whatever, I think we’ve gotten off track on the WONDERS of Flax Art & Design.
I am blessed with a teenager who is a fantastic artist. She loves drawing and sketching. She also seems to have gotten the genetic love of all things stationery. She collects sketch books like I collect writing instruments. There will never be enough sketch pads in her possession. When we left I think she had 3 new sketch pads and they were so reasonably priced! She got one of her typical sketch pads and told me it was at least $ 4 less than Joann’s Crafts. We could not afford NOT to buy it!
We don’t often get to visit Flax, but when we do, oh boy, look out. The staff is just so awesome here. I could EASILY imagine working here except I’d just direct deposit my paycheck right back into the store. Probably not a good idea if I’d like to retire someday. The staff is friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and highly complimentary. :) When M and I walked in Sunday and I asked about graph paper (What? I told you I’m practically running out!!) he asked me «if you or your sister need any other help»… Are Flax employees allowed to get tips?
Walking into Flax is like a Wonderland and I’m really chuffed that I can share this same feeling of anticipation and joy with my daughter. I get a little lightheaded when I paw their vast selection of graph paper. They have an AMAZING sticker selection and stationery in every color of the rainbow which rocks because if you hadn’t read this somewhere else I’m a girl of the 1980’s … bubble writing, rainbows and unicorns ARE my hammer, cape and armor. I try to steer away from the find writing instrument island because I could easily blow my 401K there. I’m no pen/​pencil snob so I easily amuse myself in their kaleidoscope of pen selections like Stabilo.
Flax also has a CRAZY AWESOME assortment of single wrapping paper sheets. They are the kind of beautiful works of art that make you really think about how much you love that gift recipient and whether or not you will wrap their gift in amazing paper (which is a gift in itself) or if you keep the paper and tell them you’re saving the environment by not wrapping their gift. I’m just saying the gift wrap is amazeballs. They also have a variety of very cool and kitschy gift-​items and they carry Baggalini bags which are among my favorite!
There’s just SO much at Flax and it’s so incredibly priced. Flax could easily price gouge, but they don’t. I’m infinitely bummed out that in 2016 they will not be at this classic location thanks to «progress» and high density housing plans. (Meh).
If you are in the market for pens, pencils, gifty items, paper in any form, paints, little wood drawing models… this is the place for you! I can’t think of anything that would improve Flax except perhaps that I lived closer (and that’s on me).
Wait…I did think of one thing that would take Flax to the next level… the Bifröst should lead to Flax.

I’m from San Diego and I made this store a stop on my itinerary, I was looking forward to visiting and making purchases, finding some unique items. I was very disappointed with the unhelpful staff. I spoke to several people, all whom were lackluster, bored and uninterested. I asked if they had any Midori journals and response was I dont know. Just that, no — let me ask or, let me have someone else help you.
Prices were high. I can get all I need at DICK BLICK or online at CHEAP JOE’s. Hell, even Michaels has better service and knowledgeable.

Conozco a varias personas que orgasmearían solamente con entrar en este mega espacio de objetos dedicados a la creación artística a través de la pintura y el dibujo. Hay materiales de todo tipo; papeles de diferentes colores y grosores, bolígrafos, plumillas, rotuladores, gomas y pinceles… vamos, todo aquello que se puede encontrar en una papelería al uso PERO multiplicado por cien y muy bien presentado y, además, con posibilidad de probar el resultado.
En este espacio me cargo de unos rotuladores de doble punta y colores preciosos que utilizo como subrayadores y que, a pesar de la caña que les meto, duran. Lo particular de estos rotuladores es que una punta es dura y la otra es de pincel.
Me encantaría traer aquí a mi amiga lamebaverde, ojalá un día pueda venir y le enseñe este sitio!