Dick Blick, sometimes known as Dick Blick Art Materials or Blick Studios, was founded in 1911 by Dick Blick. The company was originally a mail order catalog for art and school supplies. Dick and his wife Grace packaged items in their kitchen and stored them in the pantry.
The company was purchased by Robert Metzenberg in 1948. It is still owned and operated by the Metzenberg family. The first retail location was in Illinois in 1974. By 1984, the company’s mail order catalog was a full 400 pages. Their eCommerce site was launched in 1997.
Today, the company has more than 50 retail locations, as well as their online eCommerce site. The company is the #1 provider of mail order art supplies in the US.
Dick Blick acquired Utrecht Art Supply in 2013 and has plans to merge the two companies. The company maintains headquarters in Highland Park, Illinois.
Dick BlickDick Blick, sometimes known as Dick Blick Art Materials or Blick Studios, was founded in 1911 by Dick Blick. The company was originally a mail order catalog for art and school supplies. Dick and his wife Grace packaged items in their kitchen and stored them in the pantry.
The company was purchased by Robert Metzenberg in 1948. It is still owned and operated by the Metzenberg family. The first retail location was in Illinois in 1974. By 1984, the company’s mail order catalog was a full 400 pages. Their eCommerce site was launched in 1997.
Today, the company has more than 50 retail locations, as well as their online eCommerce site. The company is the #1 provider of mail order art supplies in the US.
History
Dick Blick acquired Utrecht Art Supply in 2013 and has plans to merge the two companies. The company maintains headquarters in Highland Park, Illinois.
Dick Reynolds says
Install a store in Mape Grove Minnesota it is the largest, or one of largest retail centers in Minnesota
Deborah L Covington says
We are seeking donations of art supplies, or certificates for our annual plein aire “Paint Out” held Oct. 20-22 in Emerald Isle, NC for merit awards. We are trying to promote art in this area and would like to encourage our artist with awards through the competition. We are sponsored by the Seaside Arts Council for Swansboro, Cape Carteret, Morehead, Emerald Isle and surrounding areas. We would sincerely appreciate any assistance that you might be able to offer. Thank You, Deb Covington
Michael Shipman says
My wife and I own an art and yoga studio in Asheville, NC. I have plans to expand into an art supply store in the near future. I am; however, interested in becoming a Dick Blick franchised store. Do you allow franchises?
There is a Cheap Joe’s here in Asheville, but I am not a fan of theirs. I have been a Blick customer for many years. At first, it was because it was a local comoany (I recently moved here from Springfield, IL). Later it was because of the quality materials at a good price.
If you still do this, could someone contact me with the information to begin this process.
Thank you,
Michael Shipman
sherry zumparelli says
do you have anything in sales or corporate jobs , I have at least 25 years in the office as well as sales and I was just asking because I have an art degree .
Thank You
sherry zumparelli
Fran Lew says
RE: Blick Celebrity Art Challenge
Next time you decide to create a challenge please make it a juried show. I can speak on behalf of scores of artists like myself whose work ranks among the best in the nation. Your current celebrity art challenge is disheartening because the winner is determined by the number of people who follow you on facebook and/or twitter, and not by the quality of your work. I would love to compete against my peers for a top award. And my peers feel the same. You already have the sponsors who can provide the awards. They need not be cash awards. The sponsors can provide a gold, silver, and bronze medal for each class, i.e., oils, drawings, sculpture. The judges can be museum curators who specialize in realism and illustration art. In closing, your juried show would allow the cream to rise to the top. Blick would have bragging rights for selecting the best artists in the country. I rest my case.