Make & Mend — Local services in Somerville

Unfortunately it's a great idea but really not a great execution. First, it's silly they require customers to mask while shopping in 2025, especially when they don't have anything posted warning you on their website or instagram. I imagine that turns away a lot of traffic.

More importantly though, they don't seem to have taken on board the point that they're a thrift store and they're supposed to sell their wares at low prices. If you're getting all of your stock for free, it's crazy to be charging $24 a skein for handpainted sock yarn, $80-$100 for a quilt or quilt top, $20 for a nice bottle of fountain pen ink, etc. Those are maybe reasonable prices if you're a reseller on say eBay who actually buys their stock at auctions etc, but not for a literal thrift store. The only things that seem relatively affordable on their site are their books.

Store itself is ok but limited in selection, much more online. I don't know why they insist on having a physical storefront in an expensive town like Somerville with limited parking when surely they're dealing in bulk. They'd be far better off getting a store with a parking lot in a suburb and pricing their supplies low enough that lower income families can buy art + craft supplies for their kids. Or, they should pivot into selling more specialty and niche supplies and be a heck of a lot more picky about what they acquire (including, you know, buying things and reselling them like secondhand stores do) rather than accepting boxes of donations of mostly tat, and then they can justify charging their relatively high prices.

They do have a "fill a bag" sale once a month for $10 but they let in their "Patreon supporters" an hour early so what's left is obviously not going to be that great. Plus they let in very few people at a time so the line is crazy long, even in midwinter. It's just not worth it. And yeah, they make you mask for that one too. Nothing ever seems to get de-listed from their website ahead of these sales so don't think you're going to get any bargains on anything you've been eyeing.

If you're looking to just get a bunch of craft supplies out of your house this is a decent option, but honestly for most generic supplies like yarn, construction paper, paint, etc, you're far better off donating to a local thrift store like Goodwill. At least an actual thrift chain is probably going to sell your goods at an actually affordable...

MAKE AND MEND, I LOVE YOU. MAKE AND MEND, YOU ARE A DREAM COME TRUE.

If you’re in the general Boston/Cambridge/eastern Mass area, I HIGHLY recommend M&M for too many reasons difficult to fit into one review. They have a ginormous assortment of items, ranging from office supplies to obscure fancy artist tools. Because it’s kind of like a thrift store for artists, there will be new stock every day that you just have to come in and see for yourself. Truly, it’s a dream - I could spend all day in there. The physical store space is not huge, but the amount of stuff packed into there makes up for it. And the prices!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness, I’ve never been more excited in my life going in for the first time. The staff are super helpful and kind. It’s also easy to donate items, which I’ve found helpful for clearing up my space at home from stuff that’s just been sitting around in drawers - you get to support a small business AND they’ll go to a loving home!

Artists AND non-artists of any age can find something here. It’s also a great place to find a gift for someone + go back to school shopping + find inspiration for a new art or office project. They have everything. A second-hand art supply store is such a wonderful idea, and Make and Mend carry it out wonderfully.

Gosh, I love this place so much and will tell people to go here forever. I am so sad I don’t live in the area anymore, but anytime I am remotely near Somerville, I am making it a point to stop by. M&M, thank you for giving me joy every time I’ve gone in. You guys rock.

TL;DR: I LOVE MAKE & MEND AND YOU WILL TOO. YOU HAVE TO...

Picked up a lot of double pointed knitting needles, and a few skeins of purple yarn here in cotton and an alpaca and sheep wool blend. Lots of art materials, tools, and such for much more affordable prices than retail. I also love that this reduces waste too!

I do wish it were easier to find things from an access standpoint. I had to kneel or crouch to get into the yarn baskets and crates. Not a big deal for me, but might be good to know if you have a harder time with those movements. I'm sure they would have pulled out things for you if you ask, though!

Love that there are tons of fabrics and just wish the fiber content was noted when possible, though maybe none of them were known when donated. Makes it harder to know what to use for sewing and other projects requiring specific fiber types for me.

Love their selection and business model, and definitely stop by if you can! Their store inventory is completely separate from their online store inventory so they had items I didn't expect, like the double pointed...