Top's Art Supplies

This place is such a gem! I can’t believe I never went in until now. It’s a great neighborhood shop with very good selection. I came in to get some beginner oil painting supplies and the shop owner was really informative. She helped me find all the supplies I needed and suggested items suitable for a beginner. I like that she recommended student grade items to get me started! Reasonable prices too! I definitely recommend this place if you’re in the area or even if you’re not, it’s worth driving to. definitely will come back someday

Ran out of screen printing ink and they truly came thruuuu! Mom and pop shop so support your local art supply store. They have ALL genres of art supplies there. Fair pricing and very friendly staff!

Love this trove of art supplies! It's surprising how much they have in this little mom n pop place. Visited for the first time and got what I needed and the employee at the counter was very helpful. Tons of supplies for painting, plenty for linocut, calligraphy, and even some things for miniature building! The upstairs area with stunning handmade paper is a gem too.

Love Top’s! They always have everything I’m looking for when it comes to drawing supplies. They also have supplies for oil painting, acrylics, watercolor, notebooks and sketchpads, stretching canvas, ink and brushes, portfolios. Locally owned small business.

Excellent experience from start to finish. The customer service is outstanding, and the product selection is high-quality and well-curated. She was knowledgeable about different art techniques and materials, and they offered helpful guidance without being pushy. A fantastic place for both beginners and experienced artists.

Yikes can’t believe this place is still in business. I’ll never forget being racially profiled, locked in their store, harassed, and accused of stealing. After spending hundreds of dollars there nonetheless. If any of this sounds crazy just know it’s 100% true and the level of gaslighting these people did and will of course do on this post is just as crazy as the experience they put me through. Thank god I was able to work past that trauma.

So nice to Google and find a brick and mortar place and not order on line. The staff was so helpful and they had everything I knew I needed and more. Also they were very nice. Ty

I visited Tops on Friday and they advertised a big sale at 40 to 50% off. I urgently needed simple modge podge. Amazon has 16oz for $8.79. I got 8 Oz at Tpps for over$18.00. Boy was I ever ripped off. They did have some nice brushes half price but as for acrylic paints everything was top shelf. For a beginner like me the prices were extremely high and they don't even stock cheaper acrylics for us newbies to art.

loved this store! i stopped by randomly and was not disappointed. they have a wide range of items for all of your art supply needs. win win scenario, great selection for your art needs and support local businesses!

This is my new favorite art store! I went there yesterday to buy supplies for a class and the owner helped me find everything I needed for my class! She has all of the supply lists for the local colleges so she is prepared. This is definitely an art store that I want to support and promote. It's a bit of a drive from where I lived but I found it worth the drive.

My favorite art supply store in Los Angeles. What a charming little local store. Their prices are simply unbeatable. And there's always good service and really nice people working there.

Top's is a small art supply business. They have a LOT of good stuff, and some things are a lil pricier but it makes sense because it's not a big company or anything! If you're tryna save money try going during their back to school sale The employees know a lot about art, and are very helpful! Even if it's a bit pricier I come often because of the service and knowing that I'm supporting a business that truly appreciates art :')

Amazing service! Diana was amazing help! Really wonderful products. They had everything I needed for my calligraphy course at USC!

Really kind people at this family-owned business. I've gotten a variety of supplies here, all at a super fair price and good quality! Notebooks, mixed media art notebooks, art paper pads, little plastic jars and sprayers, etc. They have a nice selection! Parking: 2-3 spots in the back.

My favorite art store in Los Angeles! I'll always call tops first to see if they have what I need before going anywhere else

Honestly, I tossed between four and five stars... A small art supplies shop in K-town is a gem on its own, so my heart is little chipped by settling on a four-star rating. I was super excited to have found this art supplies shop on Yelp and it has already become the "go to" store after one visit. Look, I like it. The staff was super friendly and they have a pretty decent selection with competitive prices. So, why knock off a star? The selection... It is decent for its size, but it isn't as large as I am used to. Nonetheless, I did discover STABIL which I don't know if I'll be able to live without now.

If you're in Artist looking for canvases trust me, this is the CHEAPEST place in all of La to buy a canvas. Cheaper than Blick, cheaper than Baller hardware, etc. like 60% cheaper for the exact same canvas sizes and brands at those other Art stores. The staff is always super friendly and helpful this is the only place I go to for Art supplies!

The best shop in KT!!! Huge selection, very clean store, beautiful nice service and the owner is unbelievable kind man. So this is an Art store but I was looking for an everyday use pen. Something not too expensive but with the quality. I just walked in and the owner met me and explain differences between all the types of pens he has in the store. Even showed me what he does use on daily bases. I was kind of shucked by the prices. They are really cheap. I've never expected to get a great nice metal pen made in Korea just for $9. On the amazon such a pen would cost me around $15 for sure. Highly recommend!

If you are looking for a small art shop with good prices this is the place to go. Everything is online these days, but it's nice to see and feel the art supplies in an actual store once in a while.

Yesterday was my first ever art class. I am taking beginners drawing at SMC with Mr. Ota and he recommended for us to purchase our art supplies here if we were near and around Koreatown. Mr. Ota is very specific about which supplies we needed so he advised us not to just let the store associate take our list from us and just grab everything. He showed us in class what we needed. Today was the only day I can come to buy the supplies we needed for Thursday night's class and I had class all day and night today so I could only squeeze in the first hour of the store's opening to get everything. I showed up right at 10 am and no one was there. I waited patiently but thought to myself to leave if it isn't open by 10:15 so I can go to another art store to get the supplies I needed, as time was not on my side. In just a few minutes the lady store owner showed up and apologized as she was held up dealing with a shipment. She instructed her store associate Diana to help me gather up the supplies on my list. When she found out I was a student of Mr. Ota, that's when she pulled out her copy of our class' syllabus and gathered the rest of the supplies for me. She was on point! Mr. Ota showed her exactly what he wanted for our class which is why she was super helpful. She was also very knowledgeable about the products. The full service I received there was like none other! I was in and out of there within 15 minutes, giving me more than enough time to get to school and find parking so I would make it to class on time. Thank you both for your help!!! I WILL BE BACK! I think I found my go to local art supply store, no more Amazon shopping for me when it comes to art supplies!

The best local art store around. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff. Wide selection of supplies for whatever medium you use, and they'll even order items they don't usually carry if you ask them about it! My husband was looking for a certain brand of ink they didn't have, but they ordered it for us and we picked it up from them a week later! Also, they introduced him to another ink that he hadn't tried before that he ended up really liking. I've gotten a bunch of ceramics tools here, and they also carry bags of clay which is awesome. Upstairs, they have an entire floor of handmade Indian paper. SOO beautiful!! We love this place :-)

I was looking for an art supply store around me that wasn't Michael's (also this was closer to me than Michael's). And I'm so happy I came here. Definitely will go more in the future and recommend it to my friends. They have a great selection of supplies and the lady who helped me was super kind . Looks like they have practically everything an artist needs. Sketchbooks, canvases of various sizes even massive ones, paints, portfolio holders, etc. love it! They also have also have an upstairs with a variety of papers!

This place offers the type of service that I didn't know still existed. So kind. Knowledge. Helpful. And is perfect place for the novice artist - such as myself. It's like a compact version of Michael's where they only carry the high quality essentials. My new favorite spot!

This was on our list of places to stop by while visiting LA. This store is hard-core, you'd have to know your stuff in order to appreciate what they have. They had a bit of everything from typical canvases & paint supplies to Japanese brush painting supplies & books to some craft materials & stationaries. Art supplies in general are expensive but we were able to spot some great deals. It's not a huge store but I love that it's a family owned store and the owner(?) was super friendly & let us just roam around until we were ready to check out.

Dropped by to get some supplies for Halloween this year and pick up some new calligraphy pens and they are so nice here! The nice man (seemed like the owner) helped me find the calligraphy pens I was looking for and gave me a 10% discount because I got two. The shop is small, which was actually really nice for me because I was able to find exactly the things I needed in about five minutes. I'll definitely be coming here for my art supplies while I'm still in ktown.

Best art store in LA! The owner is deeply knowledgeable and her service is unmatched. She asked what class I'm taking and at what school, and with my materials list she whisked me around the store while sharing all kinds of insider tips about this kind of paint, this ruler, this type of brush, these brushes vs these brushes--just a personable, brilliant owner and shop. She cares about your budget, too! I was so, so happy at Top's Art Supplies and this will be my forever art store.

I know nothing about crafts, but I wanted recreate a book was given to me 15 years ago. Joyce helped me figure out how the book was made and never once tried to sell me something I didn't need. She could have too because I had no idea what I was doing. Thank you! I won't go anywhere else if I need any arts or crafts stuff. Sorry if I sound inarticulate about what is sold here, but I'm really out of my element. All I know is that Joyce made my day. I'm going to post the book that I was trying to reproduce and the book I actually made. It it wasn't for Joyce, I couldn't have done it. Thank you. I guess I don't know how to post pictures. Lol. Joyce, if you want to see how it turned out, let me know. Thank you.

I usually buy my art supplies at a well known franchise. However, due to being short on time, I randomly found this small art store, and thank goodness I did. First of all, as soon as I entered, I was warmly greeted I think by the owner. Everyone there is really nice and helpful. Their prices for canvas boards beat any other places at least compared to the place I usually go to. Initially, I bought the one canvas board I needed, but ended up purchasing some more. It's not a huge place, but I will definitely go back for the items they do sell. Customer service goes a long way!

I get buzzed in, she ask which class, I mention my art class. She actually knows my art teacher. She asked to hand over my list and she would handle the rest. " just follow me" she said. She gave me a bag, and gave me everything I needed on my list. All hail Joanna No customer service can top this experience. Without her , I would have been looking for all these items for an hour. I was done in less than 10 minutes. Any art students living in the los angeles county, come to this art store.

It was all good until I left the store, went home and found out I bought 3 pens and they charged me for 4, got an $8 charge stated as miscellaneous that I am not aware of and the prisma pencils I happily paid $28 for thinking I'm getting 45% off is actually $13 on Amazon Prime. Lesson learned, check the bills before walking out, not really honest people here and yes, Amazon is best for basic art supplies.

WOW! Just, wow! Shopping for art supplies has never been so enjoyable and stress-free... or easy on my wallet! I came to Top's for my school supplies with the promise that this independent store would provide friendly and personalized service at unbeatable prizes... and they sure delivered! First of all people, you must be buzzed into the store! Don't make the mistake of walking away thinking they're closed, because then you'll miss out on all the amazing goodies and service Top's has to offer. The wife and husband team are excellent about helping you find exactly what you're looking for- and they'll be more than happy to suggest to you different prizes and a variety of products that work best for you. I literally handed over my syllabus (after highlighting what I was looking for) and they went around the store collecting all that I needed for me and explaining everything as they went along. It was like having my own personal shopper! :) Everything I purchased was already at a better prize than chain stores like Blick... but wait, there's more... they gave me even more discounts for being a student! With all the money I saved I was able to purchase a quality portfolio bag to carry all my spanking new art supplies in! And I'm so glad the owner suggested a weather proof one... because, guess what Los Angeles? It's raining today! I know, unbelievable. I can honestly say I saved $50-75 dollars here! And thats something to yelp home about!

What a beautiful, wonderful store this is! Lady is so sweet and attentive. Ditch Michaels and all your regular big stores, THIS is where it's at, anything you can think of, they have it! I came in looking for molding clay and left with a bag full of high quality paper, tools and whatnots. Will definitely be back again, and again, and again

This mom and pop shop holds a special place in my heart. Every so often, usually around Halloween, my desire to bring a mental image to life brings me to Top's. Although I usually show up around or after the 6pm closing time, they never rush me and offer candid and invaluable advice with a warmth and wisdom one would expect from one's grandparents' home. I usually park at the meters on 6th, but there is also a free parking lot in the back of the building.

I never knew there was such a wonderful art supply store nearby my house! The store closes at 6 but the owner(?) let me in at 6:15! She saved my anniversary haha. I had to buy some colored construction paper for my boyfriend's present and I found everything I needed. Thank you so much for helping me after the store closed and while you were cleaning up!

This is family owned local art shop that I always love to come back! I've been coming here since 2014. They have great deal for students. You can haul variety of canvas and most of art supplies. I love the fact they collect variety of Japanese calligraphies brushes and inks. I'm feeling great to support local art shop like them. I really appreciate their sincere attention to customer. I wish this review will take more artists to get know about them!

First time here and it was such a great experience Joanna is amazing and very helpful. I am so glad to have found this place Great prices and great customer service Will definitely be coming here for all my art and craft supplies Thank you Joanna!

This is the perfect place for an art student on a budget! I found out about it through their catalogs that they passed out at my college. The store offers a very large variety of supplies with reasonable prices. I've gotten practically all I needed for both my design and drawing classes here! The owner was extremely helpful, guiding me around the store to grab the supplies I needed and offered me discounts for some pricey items that were already on sale since I'm a student. He even went through the trouble of telling me what brands are worth buying for and why (and even attached discounts on them!!). He knew what was best for a student and I was incredibly thankful that he took his time to help me. I wish this store was more well known because the owners are truly wonderful people and it's very resourceful in terms of supplies and money. I'm defiantly going back!

Top's is really amazing! I have been coming to this place for 10 plus years, and they have always been extremely consistent, kind and extremely knowledgable. They have a great selection of sable and other beautiful brushes behind the counter and I am obsessed. Great selection of painting and drawing materials. Really top quality stuff if you are into sumi ink or watercolor work. This is the kind of place that puts a box store like dick blick to shame. Your money should be spent here every time.

If you're looking for an amazing art supply store in Los Angeles, your search is over - Top's Art Supplies is truly tops! (yes, pun intended...) Not only will you find an amazing array of art supplies dedicated to pen and ink, watercolors and oils, you'll also find an exceptional array of fashion sewing supplies at incredibly competitive prices. I've done business with Top's for many years, and have nothing but the utmost respect for the shop and the wonderful folks who have kindly assisted me each and every time I've walked in the door. When you drop by, tell Joanna and James that Russell sent you!

I've been a customer here for almost 30 yrs now since their first location. Price and customer services are superb and they have almost everything. The owners are very nice and easy to talk to and really know their products well. I've tried other art supply stores becuase I moved away from Los Angeles but Top's Art Supplies is the fastest for curb pick up service as well. Other places I had to wait few days and only Top's Art Supplies was ready within 30 mins of time so it was even more helpful during Stay at home period. Highly recommend this place.

Needed help for a TV show project. Had no idea what supplies I needed and the lady helped me find what I needed and gave me tips on how to use it. Great customer service! Will definitely be going back.

After visiting Top art supplies, I will never go to another art store! Not only does the inventory cover any medium of art you could choose from (save for culinary) but the quality of their products are top notch! (No pun intended) You may be thinking, "okay top quality is going to come with a devastating price rage right?" Nope! Everything was reasonable priced, with a lot of items on sale. Lastly, what really makes the place are the owners. The gentleman who assisted us was so enthusiastic and incredibly helpful! He was never pushy while showing us all the different options for art tools, more like an amazing mentor showing us all the possibilities for future visits. Tldr: If you love making art - top is your place!!

I love the fact that the owner was lovely and helpful. It's a must place she also gave me and my group discount. I'm a fashion design student at CSULB. She was very polite helps u find what ever u need.

I just started my art course at Los Angeles Community College and my professor gave us a list of items needed ASAP and a few locations we can go. I went to Blicks and another local art shop but they didn't have half the list. When I got there I was welcomed by the very friendly staff and they were able to find everything on my list. They have a insane deals and sale every single day. Diana at the cashier was extremely kind and even pointed me to a more inexpensive alternative that performs equally as the more pricey one. This store has tons of supplies for all medias: color pencils, markers, graphite pencils, charcoals, pastels, watercolor, gouache, oil, acrylic, drafting. This has become my favorite store!

Came here for the first time today. Neat, clean, well organized shop. Family owned and in business for 30 years, it's one of the only if not the only art supply store serving Koreatown and its surrounding communities. The store keep is immensely kind and helpful, and the prices are fair and competitive. Would recommend! Super glad to have a local art supply shop

Great place for art supplies! This place is jammed packed with art supplies and very organized. The prices for quality products are very affordable and much cheaper than what's online... I purchased some brushes and they were about a third of the online price. The employees are very helpful and friendly, and so I highly recommend checking this place out!

I've been here about 5 times so far and I love coming here. If it's your first time there, the door is controlled entrance so ring the doorbell and you'll get buzzed in by one of the friendly staff members. The owners (assuming they are) are very nice people and they are very knowledgeable about the products they sell so if you need assistance or have questions, they will have the answers for you. I quickly assume this place is frequently visited my college art students as well as career artists. Very BIG selection on different types of paints and paint surfaces. This place is an "artists' art store. If you are big on brushes this place has pretty much every type of paint brush out there. Loved their selection of Asian pant brushes. Interesting to look at.

Be careful.. they dont refund or exchange.. it's been 3weeks and my class schedule has been changed, i went to exchange to other item.. and they said NO so clearly and without any hesitation. and i told them "most of the store, they do at least exchange, and they said then go to that upscale good store." just buy if you are sure about item or if you can go back there in 7days.. after that they never do refund or exchange they said.. feel so bad.. i have to just keep all the $70 value material...:(

As many of you know...I love TOPS. I mean, Top's. Oops, Freudian slip. *giggles like a little girl* Anyhoo, the people at Top's are the greatest. Super friendly and always helpful, shopping here is always fast and efficient. Plus, they give a student discount. Yay! Art students get super crazy over discounted art supplies. Yep, we're weird! Looking for that Copic marker with the brush tip in Raw Silk? You'll find it here and at a price that's cheaper than at Blicks AND at Graphaids. Also, I believe they have the cheapest light boxes in town. Plenty of parking in the lot in the back and if you buy a lot, they will even help you carry out. Great family owned art store for all your art needs!

The only reason it isn't 5 stars is because some stuff is too expensive but honestly a lot of art supplies are. I'm a fashion design student and i found all my necessary tools here! And they had a student discount for the majority, yas!

Yeaa... I've been here a couple times before just for sketch books and pencils and each time i was here the owners(?) or whoever was behind the counter would literally stare at me from the moment i entered to when i left... You know that uncomfortable/unwanted feeling? Definitely got that vibe the whole time there... A bit pricy too! But not bad of a art supplies store

Great little mom and pop art supplies store, especially for fashion and art students at LA Trade Tech. Art supplies are generally pretty pricey, but they have pretty good student sales and discounts from time to time. I came in for a 14" x 17" Bond Layout pad and got it on sale for $11 bucks. The staff is very knowledgable, and they accept both cash and credit card. And if you're lucky enough, you might get their one parking spot in the back, because we all know this part of Ktown is a freakin nightmare lol.

I've been coming to Top's Art to purchase my art supplies for almost year. I used to get my materials from Art stores (like Michael's and Jo-Ann, as it is closer to my place, but after a while I felt that I am paying much more for the same item, even after their 50% discount). Took me 45 minutes to get to Top's Art from my place but given the quality, service, the range of things they carry and the price, it makes the drive worth while. Just ask them if you need help in any ways and they will gladly assist you. They are very friendly and cheerful.

I'm new to art supply stores, so I brought my artsy boyfriend with me. We were both thoroughly impressed. The owner was extremely helpful (and I didn't experience any racism as a Mexican gal) and came around a few times to make sure we were doing okay. I appreciated his knowledge and didn't find him intrusive at all. As for the stock, they had high quality items for all kinds of mediums (so says the arty one), including fun items like black canvases. The owner gave us a 20% discount in some items and a free sample of an oil paint stick that my boyfriend oohed over. All in all, I'd go back in a heartbeat (or at least I will once I run through these pencils). ETA: He didn't try to upsell us! I told him that I was new to drawing and he steered me towards a smaller pencil set, instead of the more expensive one. I wish all small businesses were this intimate and friendly.

I love going to Top's - the owners are so friendly and eager to give you discounts. I use to go to Blick on Beverly- SO annoying. I once waited 10 min just to have the spray paint section unlocked. I also use to go to Graphaids- that place never has what I'm looking for and the people only help you if you ask. Top's is really well organized and they keep everything in stock. It's never crowded and there is parking in the back. I go out of my way to go here.

This is my preferred art supply store. It has that quaint and personable atmosphere that can only be found at a family-run shop. I first came to this store when I was taking a few art classes at LACC. I still go there now for the convenience, the deals, and to support a small business. I recently purchased an easel at a fair price. Also, the Copic markers are cheaper there than most stores and they give a free case plus they allow exchanges. Great for someone who is testing these markers for the first time. Overall, I will say that the mom and pop who run this place are helpful and kind. They have great deals and sometimes it feels good to do business at place that treats you like a guest, rather than a number.

GIVE THEM ALL YOUR MONEY. family owned, super helpful, and attentive, they care so much about getting you the stuff you need. while i was there i watched the help two usc students EXTENSIVELY with their long list of supplies and she clearly knew what she was talking about and had best interests. they also have basically everything you looking for and more also supporting family owned businesses is always a plus.