Oakland Store

Our store is Closed (our last day was Saturday, March 28).

Announcement - March 24, 2026

Dear Oakland Artists and Valued Customers,

This is our final week in Oakland. Our last day with our doors open to you is this Saturday.

We've really enjoyed our time here, and there have been some good times! We hosted quite a few events, with Kidsfest, Pen Faire, the Print Fair, and our 80th and 85th anniversary celebrations. Over the years we've gotten to know so many of you, friendly faces who bring us a smile when you walk in the door. Helping you select products, knowing what creative projects you're working on, discovering how the process worked out for you—that's why we come to work. We'll miss you!

But we still have this week. We've deepened our promotional pricing. We must clear out everything, so when you come in you will see "free" signs on fixtures and miscellaneous store items. We hope these things find a good home.

Speaking of new homes, Manny has found one. Manny first came to be in 1991, part of our dramatic store front on Market Street in SF. Then Manny came to Oakland, installed inside, above our spray paint wall. Now Manny is with United Machine Works, a community collaborative Social Club & Maker Collective in Jack London Square. Here he is on day one, the background on open-mic night!

We also have a display pen cubby, custom made for merchandising Microns and so many other drawing pens, painted in a chromatic range by my parents in the 1960s. With great fortune, it gets a new home this weekend at a new art supply store opening in April, Diablo Valley Art Supply in Walnut Creek. Thank you, James.

This transition, consolidating our store operations into San Francisco, has been tough. It's tough because of the deep, deep gratitude I feel for our Oakland team. They are amazing people. Everything we've done is built from their support, care and commitment.

Oakland, thank you. We hope you'll make the trek across the bay and we can hang onto the relationships we so value.

Sincerely,

Howard Flax

Original announcement, November 21,2025

Dear Oakland Artists and Valued Customers,

We are writing with an important and heartfelt update regarding our Oakland store, which has been a vibrant part of this community for almost the last ten years.

Our lease for Oakland is expiring at the end of March 2026. After careful consideration, we’ve decided to consolidate operations into our historic San Francisco store, where we will continue to proudly serve all of our customers.

A Note of Thanks
This decision was not made lightly. With gratitude, we want to acknowledge the incredible dedication of our Oakland team, some of whom have been with us for decades. Their passion for art and their deep connections with you—our customers—have been the heart of this store. Please join us in thanking them over the coming months.

How to Shop and What Comes Next
We look forward to celebrating our last few months in Oakland with you and want to keep you informed about our inventory and sales schedule:

Now – Late December: Full Inventory. We are fully stocked for the holidays! Come shop our complete collection now for the widest selection of creative supplies and gifts.
Early January: Clearance Sale Begins. Starting in early January, we will launch our Farewell Clearance Sale. We must clear all inventory, fixtures, and other items by the end of March.
Beyond March: Our commitment to the Bay Area art community remains as strong as ever. We will be consolidating operations to our San Francisco store, where we have proudly served artists since 1938. We invite you to continue your creative journey with us there for years to come.

We appreciate your support over these years in Oakland, and hope to see you in the store this holiday season and in the new year.

Sincerely,

Howard Flax

Flax Oakland Store

Thousands of items to stimulate your creativity! (see our brands)

Getting Here

We are in Downtown Oakland, one block west of the Elihu Harris State Building at MLK and 15th.

Address: 1501 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-867-2324
Public Transit: We are a 5-minute walk from BART at either the 12th or 19th Street stations.