Blick Art Materials

What Esteban L. said on 9÷3÷2015. Times two. Needed a product ASAP, called to confirm they had product in-​store, named it, SPELLED IT (twice), guy on the phone said, yes we do, but let me make sure it’s in stock. Comes back to the phone & confirms they have multiple sizes on the shelf and gives me the price of the smallest size. So I spend an hour getting there (which means I have another hour’s journey back). Yeah, they don’t have it. WTH??? Never again, Dick.

Friendly staff, very helpful, no hovering or hard sell. No complaints about Blick’s at all. But let me repeat an earlier warning: IF YOU PARK A CAR THERE, DO NOT LEAVE THE LOT unless you are in a store attached to it. The signs in the lot are legally correct, but be sure to read the small print carefully. I didn’t. Didn’t know the policy until I came back from lunch and saw something posted in Blick’s. Rushed out to the lot — car booted, $ 140 to get it removed. Blick’s is great. And I can understand the need to police the lot for freeloaders. But we spent over $ 70 in Blick’s, which meant nothing to «CAR Parking Solutions LLC.» We won’t be back.

This is specific to the framing/​printing part of this store. I love shopping at Blick for art supplies but will never use their printing service again.
Quality of print: Decent. I’m not sold on the brand of paper they use or the Epson machine they use to print. Better results can be found online. Files must be in tiff format and in AdobeRGB. High resolutions are wasted here since the Epson they use has a max input resolution of 360 dpi. Moreover, the computer they use to import the file can barely handle the program they use to open it. It also lacks disk space to handle anything higher the 20Mb or so.
Turn around: I came in on a Thursday and they said my single 16×20 print would be done Tuesday. This turn around time is actually longer than my usual online printer if I choose next day delivery. Moreover, the machine wasn’t running the few times I came in for other reasons. This makes me wonder what the real reason for such a long delay was since they obviously weren’t swamped.
Price: The price for a print is insane. If you are a competent photographer and decent post processor then you can easily get your prints from reputable online printers that specialize in photo prints. I only used Blick because I needed a large format print done quickly. With shipping, almost every online company specializing in professional photography will be half as much.
People: This was the worst part. When I went in, the desk was occupied and only had one person working it. He took my name and said he would call me over the intercom when the desk was free and he could take my order. I walked around and 30 minutes later I wandered back over to the desk. He was in the back portion laughing with a coworker then came out, saw me, and went about tidying up the space. When I asked if I should come back later he said sure. When I asked when a good time to come when he wasn’t busy would be, it finally clicked in him that he had forgotten I was waiting. He was apologetic but still, I had lost a fair chunk of time. Furthermore, the manger for that section was very dismissive. She didn’t even have a hint of customer service. As a first time shopper in this area, good customer service alone could have earned my trust.

Man I really like this place. They have a lot of stuff at other places don’t. So when I was looking for a frame for a poster that I was giving my friend for their birthday I called all around and no one had the size I was looking for. I called here and they told me that they had the size in stock so I went out of my way and went halfway across town to pick it up.
When I get there everybody is super friendly, but there isn’t that size poster frame. Now I’m late and spent 25 bucks on a cab. F*ckin lame– don’t tell people you have stuff when you don’t know just because you don’t want to talk on the phone.

After browsing the store for a bit and asking one person for help, I wasn’t sure Blick had what I was looking for. After he realized he was confused on the project and asked Sleveya for help, I was pleasantly surprised. She knew exactly how to handle my request and locate the frame, glass, hangers and other materials I was looking for to get the job done. She was great!

I could easily get lost in this store. The sales people are really nice as well and leave you alone unless you ask them questions, which is wonderful.

Went here for some framing help…I’m not in the art biz, but folks are said they were very helpful. And I’m sure they are, in the art world, when the employees are within their comfort zone. But I learned that there’s a big difference between polite/​friendly and helpful. Employees were very polite, cheery and friendly. But they weren’t terribly helpful. At the risk of sounding too Seinfeldian, they excelled at OFFERING to help, they just weren’t really good at ACTUALLY HELPING. I needed some help with custom framing that I wanted to do myself, and that pretty much got met with blank stares and a vague referral to the custom framing department, with no assistance on what to do, how to do it, or what might look good when I did it myself.
So I went to custom framing, where I learned that cutting a square in some matting would take 10 days to two weeks. So I purchased the off-​the-​rack stuff that they showed me (of course, as above, the cashier was FRIENDLY, making sure I found what I needed and when I said I hadn’t, expressed what seemed to be real regret, but with no offer to help rectify that). So I went to Artist Frame Services on Clybourn, where helped me design the custom matting and framing, measured and advised, and then they cut it while I waited. And they had in stock much of the framing stuff I got at Blick, so I should have just gone there.

Don’t ask about «non-​art» supplies. I don’t have a car and this is close to my office, so I thought I’d check if they carried a craft tool my niece wanted for her bead making. When I asked a girl stocking the floor said said, «no, we aren’t a craft store, we sell real art supplies. Go to Michael’s for crafts.» I responded, «okay, I was just curious.» As a customer, I’m not really interested in that type of attitude.

I can count on one hand how many times I’ve stepped into a craft store so I’m no expert but I was completely blown away by how organized the store felt and even more impressed with their staff. I entered the store thinking I would be completely lost. Before I could even ask for help, a lovely woman stepped out from behind the counter, greeted me and asked if she could help. I told her my needs and she walked me all over the store finding my materials. What blew me away even more is that as she walked me through the store she was also checking on other people and radio’ing her coworkers for help. I’ve never seen a store manager run an operation so efficiently. She was friendly, knowledgable and effective. I was in and out within 5 minutes! I asked her if she was a manager b/​c I was so blown away and she is actually the GM! I think her name was Corrine. Well kudos Corrine, you’re doing an awesome job and it shows in your store. No more Michael’s for me, I’ll definitely be back, especially b/​c I didn’t purchase enough yellow duck tape:(

Great selection of art supplies and a friendly sales team. BEWARE though: if you park in their lot, DO NOT leave the shopping center. I learned the hard way that even if you shop at Blick or any of the other stores in the shopping center, if you step out of the lot, even for 5 minutes to grab coffee at the Starbucks across the street, you’re putting yourself at risk for a $ 140 boot removal fee from some private parking management company.

What a great place. They go out-​of-​the-​way to help. Store manager Wil has fantastic customer service skills. You would think he owned the place. Well played Blick

this place has really got me to push myself artistically simply by being here and having everything I need.
Parking is never an issue and the people who work here are simply awesome plus getting coupons in the mail and e-​mail is simply the icing on the cake.

–New employees start out upbeat and enthusiastic. They are helpful, then… what happens?
–The store is noisy. Definitely not a place to browse if you don’t have earplugs or already have hearing loss.
–Parking lot is the best things about the store.
–Now Blick has a stake in Utrecht’s and with Pearl Art Supply gone… o dear! Less competition.

I love this place, they had the best Christmas cards and of course art supplies! I also find unique cards, gifts and wrapping paper here. The staff is always helpful and sign up for the Blick card — free if you’re a student.

A little on the pricey side for a starving artist like me. But darn it if they don’t always have exactly what I want! Every particular brush or pen and all the paper I could possibly want for whatever idea is in my head that must escape to a solid medium.
This is my go-​to spot when I’m on my way home from the north side. I hardly even miss Pearl any more.

Squeal!!!
Eeek!
Oooh! I need that !
I like to get my art on. I like to get my supplies from Blick. It comes very close to being my favorite store… right after Sephora.

When it comes to the art world i’m a lot more fartsy than artsy, which is to say my talent is quite limited. However, if I were one of the ‘starving’ sort, I’d wager this place would be a little bit of paradise. I’ve been here a few times for some very basic stuff, paint, frames, canvass, etc and can’t complain on selection, always have what I need.
Now, my 5 y/​o son has been in Montessori pretty much all his life so in that short amount of time, he’s logged in more hours doing all manner of art than I have in a lifetime. So w. Mother’s day on the horizon, he was super excited when we set out on a small little project.
Staff is hit and miss but overall very knowledgeable and helpful in pointing us in the right direction. The miss is more a reflection in attitude which I suppose is common in a lot of industries where you have ppl «in the industry» answering questions from newbies or ppl who know jack about their chosen field. Yea, I get it, you have talent on loan from God, but srs, you’re here to assist me, not project that upon me.
Anyway, like I said, it’s hit and miss and a lot of the staff are really cool and helpful… others, not so much.

I love Blick in general. It’s what Pearl used to be before it became… weird (for lack of a better word).
This Blick is a little gem hidden away from the art students of the colleges downtown who go to the one of State St (also a cool store). It is empty. It is clean. The staff are nice. And you can almost always find what you are looking for.
The only thing that knocks this place down a store is their lack of decorative paper. The one on State St carries an awesome selection, and I really hope that I will walk in there one day to see the packs of paper aligning a wall. Then I will be in complete heaven.
Easy location to get to. A busy area, though. Keep your eyes open for insane cars that want to run you over crossing Kingsbury.

While its a great store with a parking lot.. . be prepared for unhelpful, snotty,
hipster staff who probably havent done any real work in their lives.

As a child, I thought the DICK BLICK was the SHIZZNIT!
I always wanted to go to the Dick Blick art store, begged to go, and was totally, lividly, and almost angrily jealous of those lucky kids who got the amazing DICK BLICK SCENTED MARKERS!
You know the ones that I am talking about. They had the absolutely gorgeous, black top package with an image of the markers highlighted by yellow and then a Styrofoam bottom of the package with an individual slot for each marker. I mean, who could have thought of a better concept? A marker with a smell for the color? Grape for purple, orange for orange, licorice for black, lemon for yellow, oh my the memories! I do remember scenting contests that involved sticking the markers up my nose for best scent gathering. I can’t be the only one. (: They were amazing.
Well, now a company called Mr. Sketch makes them. That made my trip down memory lane come to a screeching halt. I will stay with my Dick BLICK BLISS.
Now on to the store!
I really enjoy this place! It makes me wish I had some talent. Alas, I have none, but I can still enjoy all of the pieces, products and stuff they carry! I have a blast picking up stuff for my niece and nephew here. The stock is pretty amazing, stop in and check it out!