Play Time, Inc. — Local services in Arlington

Love wandering this place for craft inspiration! Play Time definitely has a thrift store vibe because of its assortment of (sometimes random) crafting materials. I never know what I’ll discover!

If you're looking for something very specific, though, they might not have it. One time I looked for iron-on letter patches, but they only had a small rack of white ones with only a handful of options of letters.

I'm also an avid crocheted so I love looking at their yarn assortment. In terms of higher quality yarn, they don’t have a large, consistent selection. (I typically go to places like Gather Here in Cambridge for nicer yarn.) But they do have a plethora of options and supplies for beginner crocheters!

They have a large assortment of party supplies! The themed plates and napkins are so cute and they always have plenty displayed for upcoming holidays.

All-in-all, I love this place! It's always such a treat when I'm in the area (like for a dental appointment or eating at one of the many nearby restaurants) during their business hours and can pop in! I love how I get so much inspiration just by walking around. And I also love supporting a small, local shop as opposed to giant craft...

I absolutely adore Play Time! I go there for so many things, from party supplies, to actual art supplies. I buy my canvases and canvas paper here, paint, and so much more. Every aisle is a visual feast. Like so many other times, I spent two hours there today and still managed to forget something I needed! I guess l'll have to go back, oh noooo. :)

The staff is always friendly and helpful and if one person isn't an expert on a particular item, someone else is. I actually had a great conversation with Carol (the owner I believe?) and we talked about different mod podge options for my kirigami art.

Play Time can be a dangerous place if you're on a budget, but if you have the time, looking thoroughly to make sure you haven't chosen the most expensive option can help mitigate that.

I will also mention that it is not the most accessible. The aisles are very narrow and sometimes displays in the middle make even pushing a stroller through very difficult. If there is another way down the stairs I haven't seen it. That said, I feel confident that an employee would be willing to help you gather the items you need if you have mobility issues.

Masks are...

A store absolutely jam packed full of eclectic craft, party, art, and et cetera supplies. Excellent source for trim, ribbon, buttons, Swarovski crystals, and jewelry needs, as well as always worth a visit when you have an odd crafting problem to solve. It's not a chain store like Michaels or Jo-Ann, so don't expect everything to be spacious or organized in a deeply researched way to optimize impulse buys. Likewise, the employees aren't just there to support the bottom line, so when they recommend a product it's not the upsell of the week.

So yeah, it's a little crowded and can feel disorganized, but it is hugely worth the time to take a nice lengthy look around. You never know what treasures you might uncover.

When I moved out of Arlington, losing Play Time as a convenient stop was easily...