while we are flogging beyond DS...

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

Apparently Pearl Paint (EDIT: Pearl Arts & Crafts in Central Square) is closing up shop and has a massive sale this weekend. Dunno.. I always go underground across the street for my art supply needs since they are just *nicer* people and have what I need. Still, never like to see a business fold, esp. one providing means and tools. Wish there were more and varied of those around - but it is a tough business climate (SPARK, etc.).

Comments

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

actually, the people at pearl have always been friendly and helpful for me.

i don't care for them as much because it's like shopping at a fucking yard sale, ridiculously disorganized and sloppy in there. still, i go in sometimes for the more 'crafty' things that art supply doesn't have.

in fact, i found a pack of mr. sketch markers in there right around new years after having some major nostalgia about the damn things :p

[whaler.livejournal.com]

Yeah I like the folks, but the place is kind of like a dump.

It depresses me a lot because the space is not going to be filled anytime soon.

[lizzielizzie.livejournal.com]

Maybe not. Dick Blick is opening a Cambridge location this summer, so perhaps they will take that space?

[whaler.livejournal.com]

I love dick blick, That would be awesome.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I've wondered if their steadily-diminishing supply of crafty stuff was an indicator of that or not. Too bad. They used to be good, but have gone downhill.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

I was in there a couple nights ago, standing in a check-out line of about 50 people, and someone nearby was complaining about how Pearl started going downhill when the way they did store inventory changed, like centralized it all in Florida, which screwed stores getting what they needed/wanted in a timely fashion. They're closing something like 7 other Pearl locations, too.

[m-b-w.livejournal.com]

List of Pearl Stores That Are Closing And The Sales They Are Having:
http://pearlpaint.biz/012610_HugeSavings_Retail_CT.html

Several others closed within the last few weeks.

[ron_newman]

This refers to Pearl Arts & Crafts in Central Square. (Could you edit this into the post?)

[ifotismeni]

wow, ugh :( i am sorry to see them go TBH.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

I don't think that it's *entirely* the staff; though I am in agreement that I'd rather hit the one across the street. But Pearl is closing up a pile of locations.

[ron_newman]

What is the "across the street" place -- Utrecht?

[latvianchick.livejournal.com]

No. It's a basement store called something like Artist Supply; it's pretty much directly across the street and, I think, independent.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

this. right next to the dollar store, and since it's downstairs, has no store front. They don't have the selection of Pearl (well, they have a third the floor space), but their prices have always been better and the people there want to know what you're working on. They're very helpful.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

It's a New England chain. I met the owner once, I think he started in Portland, Maine.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

It's called Artist and Craftman Supply, and it's at 580 Mass Ave.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Well, crap. They were convenient and generally had what I needed. I'm going to miss the frame and mat section.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Do you know when the sale is, exactly? Does it maybe start tomorrow (Friday)? I looked at the website and it didn't say anything about dates that I could find.

I can't really afford to buy anything right now, but then again it makes more sense to buy the stuff I've been wanting to buy when it's super cheap, right?

It's sad that they are closing, as I loved the place, even though they were always out of whatever it was I needed. :-) I liked the people, but that's probably because I went to school with them.

The place across the street is a bit too "serious" for me, and they seem to cater to a more elegant type of artist, or something. (I asked if they had playdough and they said "no"...)

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

I think the sale has been going on for a few weeks with discounts gradually getting steeper, in the way of going-out-of-business sales, so that by the time the discount is huge there is almost nothing left. But I haven't actually gone.

[turil.livejournal.com]

I sort of got that impression when someone else here said something about there being 50 people in line when they went just recently. Well, that's probably good, since if there's nothing useful left when I go tomorrow, I can't spend any money. :-)

[avacon.livejournal.com]

They were at 75% off yesterday, but the shelves are getting (emptier).
Still, it's not a bad time to see if there are things you want to stock
up on which are still in stock... It's dangerous as 75% off means there's
too much temptation to get things you don't need.
("Oh! This cutting tool is normally $24 and I could vaguely use one, and it's on sale for $6! How can I pass that up?")

[turil.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks. Luckily I have so little money (negative amounts really) that I'm not about to spend anymore than is absolutely logical. :-)

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

This is a more relevant than the discounts because among other things, it's a one-off. The groupons, etc, go out every day and people who are interested can just subscribe to the notifications themselves.

I heard about Pearl closing a day or two ago. Don't know if I need anything they have left, but it does seem worth checking, anwyay.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

the couple times i needed active help at pearl (as in, "i want to make this, how do i do it and what do i need", rather than "where the hell are the x-acto blades and the bookbinding stuff?"), the folks there were, well, ultimately not super helpful, which i think was more a function of me than them, but definitely friendly in their attempt. finding anything was a pain in the ass but i'm still sorry to see them go. i like the downstairs place across the street but there's still something to be said for giant art supply stores.

another vote for Artist & Craftsman supply

[artguychris.livejournal.com]

FYI they have a website, too:
http://www.artistcraftsman.com/

I always got a lot of attitude from the staff at Pearl and they were always out of stock of whatever I was shopping for, so I was really happy to find A & C. They're always super friendly and helpful.

[freedmam.livejournal.com]

I waited in line for about 45 minutes this morning to pay...but I was willing to wait because cheap art supplies are hard to find! It was pretty bare...but still lots of good stuff available. The salesperson thought their last day would be Sunday. I heard another salesperson mention some family scandal that caused their demise. Now I'm curious.

[freedmam.livejournal.com]

Oh...everything is 75% off unless it's already on sale in their flyer (which isn't much)

[infinitemorning.livejournal.com]

Man. I'm sorry to see them go -- I remember going there all the time for Sculpey clay and paints when I was younger -- but I honestly can't say I've shopped there in a while, and even a few years ago, I found them a little off-putting and disorganized. I feel bad for the employees, of course, and I definitely hope they find work somewhere else, but I can't say I'll miss Pearl for anything more than the nostalgia value.

Wow

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

Post a late night insomnia-blurred post and wake up to 25+ email comments. lol.

Anyway, thought I would pass it on since there are so many arts-oriented people around here. Pearl stocked many things Artist & Craftsman doesn't (arts + crafts stuff, airbrush stuff, full line of Golden paint, etc) so it was always a good second choice when looking for stuff. The decline seemed to start a few years ago when they gave up the 2nd floor, restocking seemed sketchy.

Ah well.

Re: Wow

[turil.livejournal.com]

For the record, I think that information about non-local places are relevant to the David Square community if the non-local places are places that the locals go often, or go because there isn't anything else like it locally.

In other words, because Davis Square itself doesn't have a big art/craft supply store, the closest ones to David are important to us.

So thanks!