Twin Cities Family

4 Must-Visit Arts and Crafts Stores in the Twin Cities

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities

Arts and Crafts Stores in the Twin Cities

Who doesn’t feel the thrum of creative energy rush through their veins when browsing arts and crafts stores? The endless possibilities!  That one thing you’ve always wanted to make! Or paint!

We love a good browse through an arts and crafts shop, and luckily for us, the Twin Cities have some real bangers to help get that creative blood pumping.  If you, your kids, your friends, or anyone in your circle are crafty folk, this post is for you!

Explore these independently owned arts and crafts stores in the Twin Cities, and we’ll look forward to bidding on your next masterpiece at auction! 🙂

WET PAINT - ST PAUL

WET PAINT

1684 Grand Ave, St Paul

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
Wet Paint – St Paul | photo by twin cities family

If there’s a store that makes you want to immediately clear your weekend plans and hole up with a blank canvas, it’s Wet Paint in St. Paul. This beloved neighborhood gem has been serving the Twin Cities creative community since 1975, which means it has been fueling local art obsessions for over 50 years. Half a century of helping people make beautiful things!

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
Wet Paint – St Paul | photo by twin cities family

 

Wet Paint is the real deal when it comes to selection. Serious artists make the drive from all over the metro for the specialty papers, professional-grade paints, and impressive printmaking supplies. But this place isn’t just for the grown-up art nerds! Kids are completely covered too, with a fantastic stash of markers, stickers, craft paper, stamps, and all the colorful, tactile, make-a-mess supplies that get little hands itching to create.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
Wet Paint – St Paul | photo by twin cities family

 

Careful! Walk into Wet Paint for one thing and walk out an hour later, arms full, brain buzzing with new project ideas. Basically, a hazard to your schedule and a gift to your creative soul.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities

ARTSCRAPS - ST PAUL

ARTSCRAPS

1459 St Clair Ave, St Paul

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
ArtScraps – St Paul | photo by Twin Cities Family

 

If you haven’t yet discovered the magic of a creative reuse store, ArtScraps in St. Paul is about to become your new favorite rabbit hole. The creative reuse model has been gaining serious momentum across the country, and the concept is simple and kind of genius: donated materials get a second life in the hands of makers instead of heading to a landfill.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
ArtScraps – St Paul | photo by Twin Cities Family

 

ArtScraps is part of ArtStart, a nonprofit bringing arts programming to youth and communities, so every dollar you spend here is doing real work in the world. And it’s wildly fun to dig through. We’re talking bins of toilet paper rolls, fabric scraps, ribbon, yarn, buttons, old photos, foam pieces, bottle caps, and things you cannot identify but absolutely need. Even better, you can purchase items individually rather than a whole pack, making it one of the most budget-friendly creative stops in the Cities.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
ArtScraps – St Paul | photo by Twin Cities Family

 

And then there’s the checkout moment. Round up your total to support the mission, and the tradition is to hand that cash right back to you to drop in the donation box yourself. Talk about a feel-good way to spend an afternoon.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
ArtScraps – St Paul | photo by Twin Cities Family

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities

THE STASHERY - MINNEAPOLIS

THE STASHERY

3000 University Ave SE, Minneapolis

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
The Stashery – Minneapolis | photo by twin cities family

Fiber artists and sewing enthusiasts, this one is for you. The Stashery opened in May 2025 as part of the Textile Center of Minnesota, a beloved Minneapolis institution, and it has already become a serious destination for anyone who loves to stitch, sew, knit, or quilt. The focus is fiber arts through and through, so expect thread, yarn, fabric, sewing machines, and notions of all kinds.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
The Stashery – Minneapolis | photo by twin cities family

Think of it as a creative reuse store built specifically for the textile-obsessed. Items are priced at a 75% discount from retail, making it a dream for beginners not ready to commit to a $30 skein of hand-dyed yarn, eco-conscious crafters, or quilters who just need a small amount of fabric to finish a project. And if you’re in the market for a sewing machine? Check here first because quality machines come through regularly, including high-end embroidery machines that retail for thousands but are available for a fraction of the price.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
The Stashery – Minneapolis | photo by twin cities family

 

All proceeds support Textile Center programming, so your fabric haul is basically a donation. Guilt-free shopping at its finest.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities

ART CELLAR - MINNEAPOLIS

ART CELLAR

2501 Stevens Ave, Minneapolis

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
Art Cellar – Minneapolis | photo by twin cities family

Here’s a hidden gem that requires a little effort to find, but is absolutely worth the adventure. Art Cellar is the on-campus art supply store at MCAD (Minneapolis College of Art and Design), and yes, it is open to the public. It’s a nonprofit store with discounted prices, and all profits go directly toward funding MCAD student scholarships, so your haul of oil paints and Japanese paper is supporting new artists – you can feel good about that.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
Art Cellar – Minneapolis | photo by twin cities family

 

The selection is impressively wide-ranging, covering everything from printmaking and sculpture supplies to photo emulsion and specialty papers, with staff who are all practicing artists and can actually help guide you toward the right products.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities
Art Cellar – Minneapolis | photo by twin cities family

A couple of things to know before you go: hours are limited, so check ahead. And when you arrive, stop at the main building reception desk first to grab a visitor pass. The staff there will point you in the right direction to find the shop. A small hoop to jump through, but half the fun is feeling like you’re in on a secret.

arts and crafts stores in the twin cities

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