art coop, inc — Attraction in Urbana

I came in here Dec 9th around 2pm to buy a small sketchbook and a pen to keep in my bag while traveling. I came in and after looking around for a bit i was asked to put my bag on the counter, I did so very quickly without any arguing and went back to shopping. The worker kept watching me intensely and began calling someone and telling them "these people filled their bag full of product and were arguing when I asked them to put their bag on the counter" and something about checking cameras to ban someone very loudly while looking directly at us. My friend and I hadn't stole anything, I just wanted to shop for my art supplies from a local business that I've been shopping at since middle school. When checking out he was telling me how stealing ruins small businesses. I have anxiety and was terrified I was going to be accused of doing something I had never once done. I hadn't even shopped there in a long while, it had been months. But the whole ordeal made me feel unwelcomed, scared, and rushed. I probably won't return anymore if I can't shop as a long time customer who's never once stolen from this place without being hounded down and having someone clearly trying to make me look like I'm stealing or at the very least intimidate me under the impression that I was going to steal. Either way, the ordeal was very disrespectful. I'm very saddened as I've been coming here since I was 14 and this is the first experience like this.

UPDATE: Thank you to the art coop for respectfully apologizing and explaining to me what had happened. It's definitely a horrible thing for someone to do to a local store and I can see why the employee was assuming we were apart of it, despite us having no affiliation. While it was still very anxiety inducing and off putting considering I had no idea what was happening since I wasn't stealing yet was being treated like I was, it's nice to at least have confirmation that it was a mistake and not someone genuinely accusing me of false accusations. Thank you politely...

This store is wonderful. Super unique, tons of art supplies and very LGBTQ+ friendly. Everyone is welcome here, and it’s obvious as soon as you look at the place! Also, I love that when I’m missing a certain color of Tombow brush markers, I can hit up the Art Coop and find it. One last thing: they have an insane collection of tiny rubber figurines. I have no idea why anyone needs them, but go ahead, challenge this theory - as soon as you see them, you realize they are missing from your life and you...

Absolutely my favorite store out there. They have the highest quality art supplies out there that you can buy in person. The ultra thin art pen I bought from there a year or two ago is absolutely the lifeblood of me and was completely worth the price. Plus the novelty items are fun to longingly look at as well. The top notch postcards, the un-ending amount of pride supplies, the gorgeous little notebooks that I buy and never use because they are too pretty to use, etc. etc., I could...