Best Arts & Crafts
Blick
In an age of AI — a time in which IP theft is normalized at hyper speed, and the temptation to sacrifice craft for convenience proves hard to resist — immersing oneself in the tangible, corporeal elements of art and craft can be both inspiring and healing. In this respect, the high-end yet still fun, occasionally whimsical and accessible Blick Art Materials is a particularly apt destination: The store traces its origins back more than 100 years to a young man named Dick Blick in Galesburg, Ill. He started a hand-lettering business out of his pop’s dry goods store that may have slowly evolved into the “largest art supply retailer in the U.S.” but still echoes (at least at the South Dixie Highway location) with an empowering love for human ingenuity and developed skill. If you’re mourning the loss of Joann Fabrics and Crafts, make this your new home.