Above Ground Art Supplies — Attraction in Toronto

As an avid oil painter, I recently decided to splash out on a specific set of Williamsburg oil paints – a brand not available in my local art shop. Having turned to Above Ground Art Supplies in the past for such unique finds, I knew exactly where to look. The ease of ordering from their comprehensive website was just the beginning of a seamless shopping experience.

What truly sets Above Ground apart is their exceptional customer service. I was uncertain about the shipping time of my paints and so I reached out to their team via email. Mica, from the Order Desk, responded immediately. Her response was respectful, warm and informative, reflecting a level of service that is all too rare in today's retail landscape. Thank you so much, Mica!

The arrival of my order was prompt, and the attention to detail in packaging was outstanding. In a conscious nod to sustainability, my paints were securely wrapped in recyclable paper, eschewing the all-too-common plastic packaging. I want to support businesses that are mindful of their environmental impact.

Price-wise, Above Ground is a winner. Their prices are competitive and they strike the perfect balance between affordability and quality. It's heartening to see a business that understands the financial constraints of artists (read starving hahaha), yet doesn't compromise on the quality of products offered. (I love my Williamsburg paints.)

I always try to shop locally - but when I can't find what I need in my remote neck of the woods, I will return to the Above Ground Art Supplies website. I trust this company, in 2023, that's a sigh...

Absolute terrible experience with this store. Today My fiance called ahead to confirm they had a certain item in stock even though their website said they had plenty, but we figured better safe than sorry. When on the phone the woman seemed to have no idea what she was talking about and after what felt like pulling teeth were told they had a few of the item in stock. So we made the almost 45 min walk to the store to find that they had zero in stock while being met with the worst caddy attitude I've ever experienced being told "well our website only shows a rough view of what we have" in the rudest tone ever not to mention the woman said over the phone that they carried it. 100% would not recommend this store. We were not even givin a sorry for the massive inconvenience. If I could give zero...

First time back in a real store (other than groceries) in about 6 months, maybe more. The shelves were a little empty but I presume that’s because they’ve been doing curb-side pickup while closed and the announcement that they could open probably came rather late in terms of giving them a chance to restock, so I can’t fault them for that! Things are set up well for covid, with one-way aisles. I went at a quiet time so can’t comment on potential line-ups or how many people they’re letting in the store. Overall, it’s such a joy to be able to pick out art supplies in person again, and I will be ordering the things I couldn’t find from them in-store on their website. Unrelated to Covid, I’ve never found cheaper prices than at Above Ground, and the quality of their store brand...