If you’re an artist, you’ve spent one or two, if not more paychecks at Blick Art Materials. This love/hate relationship probably is never going to end thanks to their frequent sales, daily savings, and unbeatable online price rebates. But it’s been a hassle to either drive up to Evanston (although I love their pigment wall) or their other burb locations or take an hour’s transit to Lincoln Park and another hour back. Yes, I know you’ve said that too: can there please be a few more locations inside the city limit!?
Well, I think the universe has heard our call as Blick is set to open a new Loop destination on the beloved Randolph Street. Meanwhile, for those of you in dire need of restocking — Urban Matter is running an exclusive gift card raffle on our Instagram! Follow us as more details are about to come!
Grand Opening
Blick Art Materials is pleased to announce the opening of its newest retail store at 16 W. Randolph St. in downtown Chicago. Grand opening celebrations will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, October 21, at 11 a.m. CDT and continue through the weekend with contests and giveaways. Situated in the heart of the city’s theater district, the new store is housed inside a historic Chicago building with a distinct architectural style.
Originally the site of the Old Heidelberg Restaurant, the building boasts an elegant façade designed by the same architecture firm responsible for the Merchandise Mart and Civic Opera Building. Wooden doors above the glockenspiel clock conceal the structure’s quirkiest feature — a colorful statue of King Gambrinus, created by Chicago artist Edgar Miller in 1934. It was the building’s historical ties to Chicago and its artists that led Blick, the nation’s largest and oldest art supply retailer with roots in Illinois, to choose it as a location for its newest store.
“Blick is known for being the country’s largest fine art supply company. As well as being a pioneer in online sales, we have stores in nearly every major market,” said Blick CEO Robert Buchsbaum, “What is less well-known is that we are family business that has been based in Illinois and Chicago for generations. As a lifelong Chicagoan and current Lincoln Park resident, I am so pleased that we are able to make this investment in a new flagship-level store in our downtown community at a time when many more brick-and-mortar stores are closing than opening.”
Blick has long supported arts education and community organizations throughout Chicago and nationwide and is intentional about inviting local artists to enhance its stores. Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony will be followed by the presentation of a check to the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts for their 2023 Scholarship Competition. The company will host the Chicago chapter of Urban Sketchers at the new Randolph St. store on Saturday as part of its grand opening celebrations.
The New Space
The new space features two stories and a media-spanning selection of over 18,000 products. Highlights include an enhanced selection of Utrecht Artists’ Paints, as well as trending craft items, stationery, and unique gifts. In addition to serving professional artists and hobbyists, the store will cater to students and educators from the nearby School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, and The American Academy of Art College.
Blick Art Materials’ new Randolph St. store is accessible via the Lake station on the CTA Red Line and the Washington station on the CTA Blue Line.
Featured Image: Blick Art Materials