Blick Art Materials — Attraction in San Diego

Racially profiled and Followed Around The store.

I have been to this store a few times in the past. I really enjoy looking at everything they have and shopping for whatever items I need. A few days ago I went in with my sister to buy some art supplies for my niece as her Christmas present. We were greeted at the door by a young lady and we made our way to the second level of the store. Not even 30 seconds into our shopping trip we began being followed by a young man. To make it even worse he wasn’t even trying to be discreet about it. He was pacing back and forth in front of the isle that my sister and I were standing. I then broke apart from my sister and began looking around for other supplies that we wanted to buy. As soon as I got to the back part of the store about 3 seconds later, the young man shows up behind me and is just pacing back and forth again on the isle that I’m standing in. This whole thing kept going for about 10 to 15 minutes until a couple came up to the young man and asked for assistance on finding on specific type of paper. After we picked some sketch pads, pencils, and color pencils along with other things, we needed from the second level; we made our way back to the first level of the store to shop for some water colors and brushes. At this point my sister I split up again and the same young man in the second level made his way to the first level and I noticed that he was walking around the same areas I was in. my sister was in another area looking for other supplies and she is not being followed this entire time. At this point am thinking that I am being racially profiled because my sister who is of a way lighter skin complexion than I am, is shopping like she normally does but I in the other hand I’m being followed. At this point it’s not one person but a few of the store employees. To make things more obvious and worse am standing in the isle where the water paints are. I’m all alone in that isle and it happens to be right in front of the second level. Well it seems like they lost me and they were looking for me because I looked up and there is a young lady looking down at me and when I noticed she is looking at me, we lock eyes as she whispers something to her radio/walkie-talkie. It took about ten seconds for another employee to show up and check up on me. Mind you the store is somewhat busy with people, but nobody in that store was asked once if they needed something but me. This exact same unpleasant behavior continued the entire time I was there. I had never experienced anything like this before and I now feel for the people who have to go through these things all the time. It truly sucks that such beautiful store would treat customers that way. Especially when I have been to this store several times before. I am writing my experience this particular time in hopes that they read this and do something about it. Situations like this are really off putting, hurtful, and embarrassing for the customers who are being followed around the store. I truly hope that management does something about this kind of behavior. As for me, Blick has lost me...

Blick Art Supplies is great for two main reasons ~ The first of which is their extensive selection of not only art supplies, but they also have lots of other really cute items for all age ranges.

The second reason that this store is great, (This being my very first time in the store, btw!) was the one employee, whom I realized was the manager, at least on the day I was in Blick. Her name is "Kim", & she was the 1st employee that asked me if I needed any help. I now know that Kim is the only employee anyone would ever need while trying to figure out, what is what, in this fairly large store.

Kim is extremely knowledgeable about all of Blick's products. Bless her heart, she patiently took my confusing questions about a lot of the supplies & really helped me to understand which was the best way for a beginner like me, to start. I found it most reassuring that Kim made me, someone who admittedly cannot even draw a stick figure to save her own life 😊, feel as if I could actually be quite creative 😳 Just as my birth month indicates that I'm supposed to be... If you believe in that kind of thing. 😉 I apparently just need to stick with practicing, as with anything, I suppose Something that again, I'm admittedly not all that good at doing. Sticking with it, I mean.

But, thanks to your awesome, enthusiastic, patient & encouraging manager, Kim, I'm ready to give this creativity thing, a try. If I'm happy with the results, I may write another review, insisting she get a raise, haha... Whatever that would be, since she is already a manager at Blick. 👍😉 One thing is certain, as long as Kim is there, this is a new customer that will one day be considered a lifelong...

Great art materials store with excellent products and prices. Giving three starts because of a very uncomfortable experience I had at this location. Having worked at the Blick (Polk St) in San Francisco for over a year, I have learned how to handle a "special" customer as it is in the company videos you have to watch upon being hired. The protocol is to offer excellent customer service. When entering the store I wasn't asked if I needed any assistance, but was instead followed by an employee who waited by the stairs to see what I was doing. I wouldn't have problem with this (because I wasn't dressed the greatest and classism is a real thing in retail) but I was never asked if I needed any assistance. It was very uncomfortable, especially when the employee stared me down until I walked to the cash register and then immediately left his post. This passive aggressive experience isn't something I would advice in the future, and maybe there is a lesson on how to handle "special" customers in the near future. Working in the San Francisco location, I would deal with these customers on an everyday basis, sometimes hourly and never had an issue with making a customer feel unwelcomed no matter who they were. Friendliness is key to overcoming "special" customers, especially in an artist envirement where people dress however they want. Didn't want to give a lower rating because I care abut blick as an old employee but also realize there is an issue. Edit:giving 5 stars because the manager handled the situation accordingly with speed and grace. It is very much...