Inside the SVA Campus Store, located on 207 East 23rd Street (between Second and Third Avenues).
As we welcome students back to campus, we want to highlight some nearby (and nearby-ish) shops serving the SVA community. This selection of large, small, general and niche stores are all survivors of the pandemic, so stop by and give these shops some much-needed business. And really—do stop by. While all the stores below have websites listed, aren’t you dying to get out and mingle again?
Blick Art Materials
Multiple locations, including:
21 East 13th Street (between Fifth Avenue and University Place)
650 Sixth Avenue (between 19th and 20th streets)
237 West 23rd Street (between Seventh and Eighth avenues)
Blick is a three-generation-old family-owned business. Founded in 1911 by Dick Blick as a mail-order company, the art materials supplier—the oldest in the U.S.—now has several locations in New York City, with three near the SVA campus. Here you’ll find everything you need for your foundation classes from a knowledgeable and artist-friendly staff. You’ll get 10% off with your SVA ID.
Printed Matter
231 11th Avenue (between 25th and 26th streets)
SVA alumnus Sol LeWitt (1953 Illustration) was one of the working artists who helped establish this not-for-profit organization devoted to creating and distributing artists’ books and related publications. You can browse its carefully curated selection of publications and attend lectures, book launches and exhibitions. They also accept submissions, if you get an itch to create your own book or zine.
B&H Photo Video
490 Ninth Avenue (between 34th and 33rd streets)
A New York institution and one-stop shop for all your lens-based art needs, with expert customer services. The inventory includes new and used equipment—you can sell your old equipment here, too. And there’s a fun conveyor belt to see your order make its way to the cashiers.
Closed Friday afternoons and Saturdays for the religious observance of its founders.
Canal Plastics Center
345 Canal Street (between Wooster and Greene streets)
This plastic and fabrication center works on projects small and large for a host of industries and creatives. On offer are acrylic sheets, films, blocks, spheres, rods and tubes in multiple colors and special effects—and the accessories you’ll need to work with these materials. Visit the store and get inspired to work some plastics into your sculpture, installation and mixed-media work—or maybe a cool design for your room or studio space.
Closed weekends.
Nuthouse Hardware
202 East 29th Street (between Second and Third avenues)
truevalue.com/nuthousehardware
A locally owned hardware store, especially one near the east side campus and open 24 hours, can be a friend to the art student. Working late at night and need a tool to put your one-of-a-kind project together? Stop by and talk to their super-helpful staff.
Casey’s Rubber Stamps
322 East 11th Street (between First and Second avenues)
Do yourself a favor and take a walk over to this fantastic store. Floor-to-ceiling displays house more than 1,000 different stamps, from bananas to bears and beyond. They also sell ink pads in 30+ colors for various textures, including fabric. You can have a custom stamp made up to 8x10 inches.
CW Pencils
15 Orchard Street (between Canal and Hester streets)
You’ll fall in love with pencils when you walk into this lovely store. Pencils graded from 2B/H through 10B/H in various colors originating from more than 15 countries are offered. Also available are all sorts of pencil-adjacent supplies, including erasers, pencil holders, sketchbooks and even old-school hand-crank sharpeners.
SVA Campus Store
207 East 23rd Street (between Second and Third avenues)
SVA Campus Store has your technology covered, including iPads, MacBooks, Wacoms, and more at an education discount—including repairs. Show off your SVA spirit with T-shirts, hats, hoodies, jackets and joggers, or decorate your room with one of SVA’s famous subway posters. Be sure to follow them on social media @svacampusstore to be alerted to sales—and offers of free candy!
