Artist & Craftsman Supply October 31, 2024

Artist & Craftsman Supply

BY Usman November 18, 2022

In 1985, I started Artist & Craftsman. I used to be a part-time contractor who purchased aging buildings in Maine, repaired them, and then sold them. Leah, my girlfriend, was wrongfully fired from her job at a neighborhood art supply store. When I noticed that one of my fixer-uppers in Yarmouth, Maine, was vacant, I had the wonderful notion to start our own art supply shop. I suppose you could say that when Leah chose the name “Artist & Craftsman Supply,” I never looked back.

We operated our single business in Maine for almost ten years before relocating to Portland, where we enjoyed excellent success. I discovered that I was quite pleased to earn a life locally. The small art supply sector then started to draw greater attention and huge money in the 1990s. Sanford (the Sharpie Marker company) took the initiative by purchasing two pencil manufacturers.

I realized at that time that if I wanted to survive, I had to develop. Seattle was chosen as the location for our next store and served as a test. As an east coaster, managing a store from 3000 miles away was challenging, and it soon became clear that I needed to acquire “Seattle-ese.” More “please” and “thank you” words entered my lexicon, which has undoubtedly helped me over time.

Art Shopping | Artist & Craftsman Supply

We already have more than 25 stores around the United States. We have plans to keep expanding for 30 years. Additionally, we’ve created a brand-new, cutting-edge web store so you can complete all of your buying online. We take pride in offering you the best products at competitive prices both online and in our physical stores. Our business is also employee-owned, and our employees greatly contribute to the fact that it’s a terrific place to work and shop.

I simply want to say “Thank You” to all of you, our wonderful and devoted clients, for standing by us through the years. It’s been a fantastic journey, and I can’t wait for what comes next.