When you first walk into St. Louis’ newest art store, everything is as you’d expect: There are racks and shelves filled with paints, printing supplies, papers, canvases and pretty much anything else you could imagine needing to create art — and also plenty you couldn’t. There are the helpful and intimidatingly cool store clerks, who immediately ask if they can guide you to anything specific. There’s even the whiff of oil paints wafting on the air.
But there’s also something just a little bit different about MO Art Supply, which opened on the second floor of 6174 Delmar Boulevard last weekend, just east of the Loop. Maybe it’s all the murals (like the giant one by St. Louis artist Cbabi Bayoc on the side of the building or the ones by Brock Seals by the back entrance). Or maybe it’s the layout of the store, which is broken thematically into rooms — paint, paper, architectural supplies (featuring another mural), and more.
It may be the community vibe that sets MO Art Supply apart.
“This is the people’s art store,” Studio Manager Sophia Malone says. “This is everyone's art store. We want this to be just an inclusive, safe space to create.”
Malone is alluding to the community programming that MO Art Supply launched with, which includes events, collaborations with local artists and art organizations as well as classes and affordable studio space. But she’s also referring to the story of how the store came about.
That tale begins about three months ago when local artist Bob Madden heard that Blick had acquired local chain Artmart and would be relocating the Blick store on Delmar to a space on South Hanley Road, leaving the Loop without an art supply store. Madden started commiserating about the loss with Mohammed Qadadeh, who owns Meshuggah Cafe and American Falafel — and then they decided to do something about it.
Madden reached out to fellow University of Missouri–St. Louis art grads Malone and Brittney Parker, now assistant store manager, to see if they wanted to work with him and Qadadeh to open a store of their own.
“We’re like, ‘We can make this happen. We really can,’” Malone says. “I took over the studio, while Brittany and Bob took over the store side of things.”
It was especially meaningful for Malone to be part of the group that is making sure the Loop has an art store. She has fond memories of heading to the Loop from UMSL to pick up supplies and grab a bubble tea.
“I personally was so heartbroken when I heard Artmart was closing,” she says.
The name of the store came about organically. Qadadeh had started taking suggestions for the name from regulars and community members, and he kept hearing MO Art Supply.
What that stands for is in the eyes of the beholder.
“Nobody knows if it’s Mohammed or [Missouri] or more,” Qadadeh says. “It was a big void in the neighborhood, and we just wanted to open something to keep it alive, so it’s everything.”
The store held a soft opening on 18th and then a grand opening over the weekend with live artist demonstrations. Since opening only a few days ago, the store has seen good foot traffic.
“The love was overflowing, and everybody wants to help and see us succeed and open,” Qadadeh says.
Though the store already seems well stocked, Malone says that they only have about half of the inventory that is on order. Each room also has a sheet where customers can request MO Art Supply stock additional items.
For Malone, though, the most exciting part might be the studio side, which she says is beginning with figure drawing classes and demos from live artists to show their expertise and answer questions. She says they will be adding on from there (Malone, who also runs Melon Press, will teach silkscreen, block printing and more). They even plan to offer inexpensive studio space that artists can purchase for a small hourly fee.
The store has already built many community connections and is planning to be at local events such as Paint Louis, the St. Louis Comics Expo and the Cherokee Street Print Bazaar. They’ll also keep a calendar of local events like gallery and museum openings and artists talks.
The idea is to make the store open to anyone (Malone is quick to note there’s an elevator in the back, if you can’t handle the stairs at the front entrance) and part of the rich St. Louis art scene.
“We want to make this a hub of community for art,” she says.
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