Jerry's Artarama Retail Stores - Austin — Attraction in Austin

I love Jerry's. Been shopping with them over 20 years. I love the store, I understand the loction and think it is a good choice. Very convenient to me. Yesterday was a thousand dollar plus purchase, thankful you guys still have a store and haven't sold out corporate or gone strictly online.

With all that said.... very odd interaction yesterday with employee. I was looking for their highest quality water color paper. i wasn't concerned about price, when your investing weeks in creating art, the cost of the paper is somewhat irrelevant.

The employee repeatedly tried to steer me towards the vegan option. When I told her nicely that wasn't my issue, I just wanted the best paper she shut down. I don''t know how else to say it but became truculent, or at least passively aggressive.

When I asked for their most expensive natural brushes and didn't go her suggested synthetic route, she simply ghosted us mid isle when we turned to look at paints.

Wow!

Let's look at this.... an employee is internally boycotting her employers inventory on the basis of her personal agenda. Then boycotting customers who happen to not believe the way she does. I really respect Vegans, its a hard committment. But I don't expect to be discriminated against because I don't see life through their world view filter.

Another thought, I am Native American, I identify as Native American, it is very much part of my cultural heritage to view animals as sacred gifts of the Creator. I accept his infinite gift, respect it, and guard his creations and give back. I take my own meat from nature, and eat everything I take. I use all parts of the animal. It has been part of my culture longer since before you whites stole my land and heritage.

This enforced Veganism is a Western European racism against the natural culture. I felt very discriminated against because of my heritage.

There needs to be room in this life for all of us and all of our views. An employee in an art store should sell the stores products and if it is that offensive, find another job.

Discriminating against the First People isn't the way.

How is refusing to serve me because I am not Vegan any different than Jim Crow and refusing to sell to me in the 1950's if...

This is just a review of their framing services. Jerry's is a great local spot for art supplies.

I've had nothing but problems getting things framed at Jerry's. In December, I brought in an art print looking for advice on how to custom frame the piece. When I went to the framing desk and mentioned I'd like help framing and I hadn't had anything framed before, the man behind the counter just stood there. I then tried asking if he would recommend framing it with a mat or without, and he just answered, "it depends on what you want" and said nothing else. I ended up buying a pre-made frame instead of custom framing because the framer just wouldn't talk to me. I felt uncomfortable and out of place as someone who hadn't had something custom framed before and did not know where to start.

Later, I decided to get some large art prints. I went to Jerry's to get pricing on a full custom frame job as well as pricing for mounting the prints to a board so I could frame them myself (I like doing projects and I thought this would be fun). They gave me prices for both, and because the price for mounting the prints was reasonable, I went home and ordered some framing materials to try out my self-framing project. When I went back with my art in a week later, however, they told me they wouldn't mount my art without a full custom frame job because they were low on the board material due to supply shortages. They made no attempts to help me out or make amends when I let them know they quoted me prices for the job only a week before. I understand the decision to limit materials to more lucrative jobs when supplies are low, but they pulled the rug out from under me by initially saying they could do the job and going back on their word.

While I'm sure they frame art well if you know what you want, I can't recommend Jerry's to anyone needing guidance around custom framing. I also wouldn't recommend them for framing job quotes as they've made it clear that the shop isn't consistent about sharing information between all of their framers, and you may be told one thing for another to happen. There are other local frame shops who will do a great framing job that also communicate well with customers. Go...

A strange thing happened at Jerry’s today.

I’ve been a sporadic patron for decades.

But today at checkout, I was given a total amount due and then the staff member asked if I’d like to add a tip for staff.

I didn’t see any reason why I should be asked to tip the staff at an art supplies store. Does Michael’s do this? Does Burlington Coat Factory do this? Does any art gallery do this? I couldn’t think of any gracious reason to tip, so I said “not today”. And then right after I declined tipping the staff, the staff member quickly rescanned an item that I thought had already been scanned and told me the new higher amount due.

I wasn’t 100% sure the item was rescanned, so I tapped a credit card to pay, but then saw on the freshly printed receipt still waiting to be ripped that I’d been double charged.

That double charged item was only invoked after I declined to tip the staff of an art supplies store.

When I pointed out the issue, the staff member focused on how quickly she could resolve the issue and muttered something about how I could expect a refund in 3 or more business days.

Jerry’s, you’re a wonderful art supplies store, why the heck are your staff members asking for tips? And more absurdly, why are customers being bilked if they decline to tip?

Please reconsider your business policies, for the love of all things...