Shop Girl
Flax Art & Design, Civic Center
Any business that’s been around for more than 60 years and is still thriving must be doing something right.
Owned and operated by the Flax family, this enormous store caters to everyone from the serious artist to the weekend crafter. Given its size, you may want to enlist the help of the Customer Service desk — located just inside the entrance — to point you in the right direction. The staff here is both knowledgeable and friendly.
The front of the store is filled mostly with art supplies, portfolios, books, albums, journals, pens and home accessories. The back is where you’ll find a plethora of kids items, rows and rows of paper, wrapping paper, greeting cards, stationery and — perhaps most importantly — the mark-downs. The framing section is also in the way-back; you can buy off-the-shelf, or have custom work done. (Prices are reasonable for the quality of work.)
Clearly, Flax is more than just an art store. You can find a gift here for just about anyone. So even if you’re not an emerging artist, stop by and enjoy this cornucopia of creativity.
TIP: In addition to the small parking lot in front of the store, there’s another one behind it — complete with a back-door entrance.
Flax Art & Design
1699 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94013
(415) 552-2355
