“We’re excited to bring a new art supply store to the community.”
The store will offer a wide range of art supplies, from beginner-friendly to professional-grade materials. They will also provide classes and workshops for all skill levels. The store’s opening is a significant development for the Detroit Lakes community, as it fills a gap in the area’s art supply market.
MORE STORIES BY BARBIE PORTER “We’re a hardware store for artists,” Eric said. Should a product not be readily available in the 2,000-square-foot storefront, the Browns order items through their distributors at no cost. Deliveries to the store happen several times a week, so customers can expect to be working on their project within a day or so, in most cases. In addition to Art Materials serving budding and professional artists across all mediums, the company is also a wholesaler serving large corporations, including NASA, Boeing and more. “Art Materials is like a five-legged stool,” Eric explained. “In addition to traditional art supplies and commercial sales, there is custom picture framing, e-commerce, and third-party e-commerce sites, such as Amazon.”
Detroit Lakes business owners commuted to Twin Cities since 1994 The Browns moved to the Detroit Lakes area in 1994 and ran an art supply distribution business in downtown Fargo. They purchased an art store in Iowa in 1999, and then Art Materials in Minneapolis in the early 2000s. Their son joined the business in 2010, after leaving a career as a landscape architect to join the family business. Art Materials is located at 811 Washington Ave. between Bluebird Books and the future Manna Food Co-op store. Barbie Porter / Detroit Lakes Tribune The family remained based in Detroit Lakes and often took turns commuting to the Twin Cities.
ADVERTISEMENT “I would commute down Sunday night and I would stay until Thursday night. And I would drive back,” Eric explained. “And they would stay through Friday night and come back.” Larry Brown, who co-owns Art Materials in Detroit Lakes, explained paint pens offer artists acrylic paint in a pen, which is often used to create art on glassware or other surfaces. Barbie Porter / Detroit Lakes Tribune Because the store was a staple in the Minneapolis neighborhood along Lyndale Avenue, they didn’t want to move, initially. In time, the dynamics of the neighborhood had shifted from retail to entertainment, such as restaurants and bars. By late 2022, the Browns considered moving the business to Detroit Lakes.
The Browns’ search for a new location for their business was a multi-faceted process. They considered various factors, including location, size, and rent. They also sought advice from real estate agents and other business owners.
From pens to pencils, Art Materials has artists of all mediums covered. Barbie Porter / Detroit Lakes Tribune The Browns hope the retail end of Art Materials sees the same regional customers visiting the store. When the downtown building located between Bluebird Books and the new Manna Food Co-op location went up for sale, the Browns thought it was a prime location. ADVERTISEMENT It also is conveniently located adjacent to a main entrance point for the Washington Square Mall, and patrons can park in the city lot behind the store and enter through the building’s backdoor. After purchasing the building, remodel work began so they could rent space to other businesses. The Browns also hired their first employee, a longtime employee from their Minneapolis store.
“We talked Andrew (Sandberg) into coming with us,” she said, noting he brings a wealth of knowledge with him and is a very good artist. Sandberg said his experience with small-town living has been enjoyable and he looks forward to getting involved in the city’s vibrant art community, and potentially offering art classes. Art projects in a box are offered at Art Materials in Detroit Lakes. There are a variety of projects for different ages. Barbie Porter / Detroit Lakes Tribune
