Blick Art Materials

It’s well known that this Blick is criminally understaffed and useless. I went in looking for pattern drafting paper and the singular employee I could find informed me that they «don’t cut paper» at this store. Except that they do, and I’ve bought it from them before, so I had to point out the roll to them, which is located in front of a large sign that reads «0.75 by the yard.» They told me to wait while they found someone to cut it for me, came back a minute later saying they’d do it themself, and then had me wait another couple minutes while they found a pair of scissors, without apologizing for the wait or… general ineptitude once. I then had to wait about fifteen minutes at the cashier line, despite not actually being behind anyone. The customer that was behind me ended up leaving in frustration, after being treated rudely by another employee. I’d had less-​than-​sterling experiences at blick before, but this exceptionally painful to watch, and I’ve since decided I won’t be returning if I can help it. I recommend DaVinci instead; the staff are dramatically more helpful.

I came in with a big list of supplies to buy for a painting class. I’m totally new to painting, so i was a bit daunted from the start. The staff were very helpful and approachable. But the security guard, oh man…
I understand that it’d be easy to put $ 200 worth of oil paints in your pocket and walk out the door, and that a store has to safeguard their wares. But he was circling me like a shark. It’s really difficult to concentrate when a big guy in a suit is charging past you every 10 – 15 seconds. When i say charging past, that’s not hyperbole. It was a big angry attention grabbing stride. I ended up leaving with about half of what i needed because they didn’t stock a few of the brands/​colours i was after, and i didn’t feel like sticking around to figure out substitutes.
I’d recommend going to the Blick in NoHo instead because if its bigger selection and more relaxed atmosphere.

This is a whole new level of just wrong. First of all the staff is split right down the middle with people who know a lot and other’s who know absolutely nothing. I understand that not every medium can be your expertise but some of the workers didn’t even want to help with finding different canvas sizes or giving simple opinions on the house brand paints. The lead manager kept trying to upsell us which was kinda offensive. The prices are really good for certain items and the house brand isn’t that bad but the Utrecht brand was a lot better. Some of the workers just ignore you and when you do ask them for help be ready to get little no help at all. Some of the workers are amazing and you can tell they are artist but a lot of them are either sale robots or students who don’t care. Overall the store was poorly organized, the staff was clueless but the prices were descent. Walking in knowing what you want but don’t expect to find artist working there. Sad to say but Blick failed me on this visit.

Even though Blick and Utrecht are affiliated with each other, how come I can’t return something I bought from Utrecht here!?! Damn, it sucks! Also, there’s no more student discount (10%). It doesn’t exist anymore. It died. Instead, you have this preferred card thing which you sign up for free at the register and they try to match the item your buying with the online price of your item. If your item is cheaper online, they’ll refer to that price, vice versa.
There was this security dude (not the one in the suit, the one I’m talking about wore a grey polo t shirt that read Columbia in tiny letters on the upper left side and I believe he had lots of tattoos… yes I’m an observant person lol), so yeah, this dude was super helpful to me. He really cared about trying to help me find some tricky art supplies, he should really be more than a security guard. This man deserves a promotion. He was so sincere too. I didn’t know this dude was a security guard because I already saw one in the store who wore a suit and this particular one wasn’t dressed up or anything. Anyway, when I approached him for help, he came to the rescue, climbing on ladders to retrieve some items that weren’t on display, running around the store with MY supply list and doing the searching for me, oh and he has a great sense of humor that comes with a lot of patience. Like, he seriously deserves a trophy or something. He was much more helpful than the people who worked there, just saying… man, I should have asked for his name. But seriously, my experience today was awesome.
Everything here is expensive. I’m taking an art class, not even majoring in art and I spent a good $ 200 here. –sad face– –cries–

STAY AWAY !!!
2^nd review in 5 days about harassment … went in to see what colors they had for a upcoming project i am doing. talked to a few workers inside saw that they did not have my colors but did have the size canvas i was looking for… i also saw that they had a very large brush i was looking for so i took a photo of it thinking it was crazy that the brush was so overpriced… deciding i will come back after work and pick everything up and head home… i walk outside and go across the street to hotel Chelsea and i am approached by a very large black man who asks if i was just in the store… i tell him yes and he asks me what i walked out of the store with something in my hand… confused i tell him i purchased nothing… confused he states again that «its just a question what did i walk out with in my hand?» confused i show him my phone wallet and keys is that is the only thing i have … kind of shocked i should have told him to go fuck himself and not answer any of his questions. I came in to pay for over priced products and walked out feeling like a criminal I will never set foot in this store again and already made sure i let my other artists know what was going on… obviously i had my phone in my hand … not sure if Blick sells samsung note 4 or not but i didnt steal it… the end

The reason I’m writing this review is not because of the store itself but the security guard they have. Here is the story…
I walked in with my own Moleskine book in my hand. I was going to check if they carry Rotring isograph technical pen, they did’t. So I walked around the store and checked out some books, then I left. The security guy came after me outside the store and asked me «Is that your book? Do you have a receipt?» I was really surprised because I have never been asked this kind of question in any other art supplies stores throughout the city. At that moment, I actually didn’t know how to answer it. «Yes and I don’t have a receipt.» He was acting like that we have to talk inside. So I flipped through my book and showed him I’ve already done few drawings in it. He let me go, without a hint of apology.
I don’t think I did anything suspicious enough for him to chase after me for a sketchbook I carried in my hand, not even in my bag. And I do feel worried because as an artist, I often carry my sketchbook everywhere. What if I carried a brand new book to this store today? Was I supposed to spend my time explaining that the book is not from their store although it’s a brand new book? To be honest, I never ask for a receipt for this kind of purchase.
Thank God that he didn’t ask to look through my bag. I carried at least 15 Micron pens that were recently purchased in my bag. I really don’t know how to prove that they are not stolen from their store…
I don’t really mind that the security checking my bags in general if they are polite, like in clothing stores. But this guy… just annoyed a hell out of me.

Owned by Utrecht Art Supply.
In search for white string for a client my search ended up here. Recently opened in late 2013 with another art supply shop in Chelsea. The associate helping me was helpful but they have very limited selection in string. Two levels of art materials and the retail space is quite large in the lower level. Despite of not finding what I seek, the associate was helpful and their stock is well organized and readily available.

I called and got hold for whole 11minutes and then got hung up without getting the answer I need.
P. s. I have listened to 4 whole songs in total while holding

This store has since been purchased by Blick…
If you want to go into an art store and immediately feel like a criminal, this is your place.
I originally went in to purchase a few prisma color colored pencils and some 2’x4’ artist trading cards.
The store itself is small and cramped, but easy enough to maneuver through. I was able to immediately spot the colored pencils and moved on to finding the trading cards.
I kept seeing a large man in a suit following me and I thought «he’s dressed a little odd for an art store.» But kept shopping. I was having trouble finding my cards so I asked an employee, who was super nice, and informed me that they didn’t carry them. From the corner of my eye I see the 6 foot man hiding behind and aisle and peeking over watching me speak to the sales rep!
I decided to say forget it all and left… and made sure to say goodbye to the goofy suit man at the door.

I love the Utrecht store been shopping there for years. However, every time I shop at this the location the line is really long due to only one or two cashiers. I would recommend hiring more cashiers. Other than the long wait I would return back because of there inexpensive products.

Clean, Organized, with a Friendly & Efficient staff.
They also have great sales!

I never had any issues, I was always helped quickly and competently :)
They have a wide array of products, I only wish they had more pretty, ruled notebooks!

BEWARE! Employee (s) stole customer’s membership card (with store credits in it).
Two weeks I visited this store, I was told that the chain was purchased by Blick and they had to issue me a new membership card. Even they had all my information in their system, they still decided to type in everything again by hand. It took them 20 minutes to figure out the new system in order to complete my purchase of one bottle of glue! Then they told me I was all set, I left.
A few days later, I went back to purchase and was told I need to show them the new membership card. But you DID NOT give me one after wasting 20 minutes of my time. After a chaotic searching, seven employees finally found the card and gave it to me. But the extra keychain cards which attached to the main card were torn off already. They did not give me any explain why those gone missing. Apparently some of the employees decided to keep the cards so he/​she can use the store credits.
I searched the website and found no way to get a replacement of the card or my credits back.
I went to another Utrecht store asking for a new card, they told me my information would «CONTAMINATE their system». Yeah right!

4 stars because I found everything I needed (styrofoam balls, japanese lace washi paper, thai mulberry paper, 20g wire, green tape). Also open later (8pm) than all other art supply stores in the city. I called ahead to make sure they had the foam balls, and the person on the phone was helpful.
However, in the actual store, the employees were surly and did not ask to help me find what I needed.

No 0.05 star? Terrible terrible and rude customer service starting with the idiotic manager where a simple exchange could not be done efficiently … down to ignorant staff. Do these people get trained at all before being put on the floor? Very bad location for this store … seems there have much complaints about this store below and corporate has chosen to ignore them… this place is terrible for business, PERIOD!

2 stars for the products. 1 to everything else. Brings it down to 1. Compared to other Utrechts, the pukes working at this one make the pukes at the other Utrechts look like customer service experts. I mean really, just because you’re a bunch of lame ass artist wannabes doesn’t mean you get to treat intro students like shit. I’ve seen these people be so rude and impolite to students who come in with questions. I always know what I want so they don’t bother me, but I can clearly see how awful they treat others. I don’t come unless I have to go to openings and need something. These folks are assholes. I hate using profanity in my Unilocal reviews but they deserve it!

This Utrecht is one of the least impressive I’ve been to. The selection isn’t that great but they do have some basics that you’d expect and the people who work here are nice.
I just couldn’t get over the weird layout of the products and how this one seems to be more expensive than the others. Maybe it’s just me.
I got my double-​sided tape and left.

Twice now, I’ve bought paper in a hurry and it was labeled waaayyyy wrong. I bought «watercolor» paper and ended up with print making paper. The only reason I found out was because after many careful hours of laying out my design and finally touching my paint to paper… the paint blows out, ruining my design. Hours WASTED.
I once also bought print making paper and received god knows what. It didn’t hold ink, making me suspect that I actually bought drawing paper. It also didnt have the «Rives» brand seal in the paper but was stickered that way.
The only reason I keep coming back is for those delicious
martins paints, even though I know the risk of their colorfastness.
I don’t usually post negative ratings, but I am pretty bummed on losing hours of time on one of my paintings.

I went in once and asked an employee a question about a price comparison on two products. She looked at me and said «can’t you just look at it it’s right there?» with a huge attitude. After explaining to her that I had looked but I had a Question ABOUT it she still was snobby so i said forget it and walked away. She could have cared less to help me. I was extremely polite to her and right off the bat she was just mean and wretched. I wish I had thought of getting her name to complain to a manager because she shouldn’t be working there.
I love Blick art materials cuz they have great costumer service and actually care about the costumers.

The staff is weird, not a one asked if I needed help… even though there seemed to be an employee everywhere I happened to be. There was a dude stocking the shelves, I asked him where something was, and he was a snob… not something I would expect from someone with a haircut that was an asymmetrical mess.
When it came time for me to check out, I stood at an area of the counter where I saw a cashier ringing earlier, I assumed that where I needed to pay for my merchandise. The cashier made no acknowledgement that I was there, and was chatting with another assoc.. .. So I stood there, she looked right at me… but only came to the counter to ring when a group of folks formed their own line at the register. She could have told me I was in the wrong area… I seriously wanted to smack her… RUDE RUDE RUDE… usually I could care less… but I’m still pissed about it… and wish I never spent a dime in that store.