Art school unconfidential: a list of art supply retailers new and old [Back-to-School]
All articles in the Back-to-School section can also be found in a printed edition of District’s fall Back-to-School guide. Copies can be found in our offices at the Student Media Center located within Dyson Lab, 231 W. Boundary St.
Shopping for school supplies can be a hassle, especially at an art school. Give yourself and your wallet a break by catching the best bargains in town. Here is a list of art supply stores in Savannah that offer the best deals for anything back-to-school related.
Ex Libris Bookstore
Ex Libris is the official “campus” store and caters directly to the student community. Along with art supplies, they carry textbooks, general reading books and magazines, bee-emblazoned clothing and gifts, a wide array of computer software and electronics and have an in-store Jittery Joe’s.
Ex Libris offers a Foundations Starter Kit and other professor supply kits. The kits feature items that have been selected specifically by professors for their respective classes.
Not all professors require the Foundations Starter Kit, so be sure to check your syllabus before purchasing the kit. Even though the items in the kit are 20 – 40 percent off, it still might not be the best deal for you.
The store features everyday value discounts of 15 – 50 percent off on their most popular items. They also have a Low Price Match Guarantee to match prices of local competitors.
Shoppers can also sign up for a Frequent Shopper Rewards Card, and earn 20 percent off their next art supply purchase after 20 store transactions.
Ex Libris accepts all traditional forms of payment, including the SCAD Card. Students can also purchase art supplies online at exlibris.bkstr.com.
Utrecht Art Supplies
Utrecht Art Supplies opened two years ago and has been serving students and Savannah ever since.
They are known for their friendly and knowledgeable staff, free art demos every other Saturday and their ArtSmart discount card.
The ArtSmart card is free to every customer and unlocks sale prices. Students with a ArtSmart card and a current student ID also get 10 percent off non-sale items. Once a student has an ArtSmart card, they can enroll in Utrecht’s Loyalty Rewards Program by going utrecht.com and clicking on “ArtSmart Cards,” and following the steps.
With the Loyalty Rewards, students earn points for each purchase. These points can be redeemed for store credit.
Along with their store discounts, they also have a 105 percent guarantee. This means that if a customer brings in a printed ad or coupon for a specific item at a competing store, they will beat the price by 5 percent.
They also carry a Freshman Kit for students based on supplies needed for Foundation courses. And they deliver large purchases, such furniture and giant canvases, to the downtown area.
For updates on sales, coupons and store events visit their Facebook page (Utrecht Art Supplies – Savannah) or Twitter account (@UtrechtSAV).
Bull Street Station
Bull Street Station typically gets overlooked when it comes to art supplies. Most people only know the store as a hobby shop, but they also sell a decent amount of art supplies and even have Starter Kits for students.
However, with the increasing amount of art supply stores in Savannah, Bull Street Station has decided to stop stocking their art supplies.
So why are they being included? Well, all art supplies are now 30-50 percent off until everything is gone. Not to mention the store carries more than 10,000 hobby items in stock and has 7,313 items listed on their website. These items can be handy for students who need to build models or just need special supplies for their projects.
The store offers actual returns — not just store credit. If an item is damaged upon return, they will work out a trade. They will also order special items free of charge.
Students that pay with cash or a check will receive a 15 percent discount and a 10 percent discount if they pay with a credit card or SCAD Card.
Blick Art Materials
Blick Art Materials has been serving the artist community since 1911 and is now serving the Savannah community. A few months ago they acquired and collaborated with the now defunct Primary Art Supply.
They decided to keep Primary’s knowledgeable employees and community involvement and add their own low retail prices and vast selections.
Blick Art Materials is family-owned and operated and has 37 stores nationwide. They are considered to be the biggest retailer in the art supply market and have more than 72,000 items available in their store. They are no strangers to discount prices and have a Low Price Guarantee that allows them to match any advertised price or coupon from a competitor store.
