Once Upon A Page

When Once Upon a Page was at its previous location, I used to love going there. I thought they had closed forever, and was thrilled when a friend told me they had a new location. We checked the website and decided to meet for lunch and then shop there together today. Imagine our surprise, when we got there, only to find the door locked, the lights on, and the open sign on the window. We knocked and got no response. We waited 20 minutes and both of us tried calling, only to get about 10 rings and then what sounded like a fax machine sound. I told my friend that maybe there was an emergency and they had to run out. She correctly stated, «Wouldn’t they have left a sign on the door?». I felt terrible for my friend as she had driven all the way from Simi. And by the way, a neighboring business said his happens all the time. I guess I will stick to Hobby Lobby and Michael’s.

If only my review could have so much credence that it keeps you from going here and wasting both your time and money.
First, other reviewers wrote that the stickers are outdated and look like the ones you see in kids’ dental offices. That’s accurate.
Second, other reviewers wrote that there’s dust on some of the paper you pull from the racks. When I read this, I laughed aloud because it was absolutely true. I took out a sheet and felt the dust on my fingertips.
Third, other reviewers also wrote that the store owner, Joanne Miller, does not have good customer service skills. That’s partially accurate; Joanne’s customer service skills are actually horrible. She is utterly rude, unhelpful, and condescending, to say the least. I went into this store thinking that they could help me with a scrapbook I had been working on for months. Not only did the employee damage the cover, but Joanne then tried to make it appear as if I brought the scrapbook in that way, to avoid replacing the cover (a product that I had previously purchased from her).
But prior to my interaction with Joanne that day, I observed the way she was speaking to her own employee. I was shocked that the employee submitted to Joanne’s belittling tone. Frankly, I was disgusted with the little I saw of Joanne at the outset. Then I heard Joanne tell her employee to lie and cover up for her when someone called because she was leaving the office. Awkward, yes, but still very consistent with the way Joanne handled my situation, with deceit and manipulation. While I’m generally very soft spoken and give people my utmost respect, she forced me to confront her; I told her that she was very rude and left me largely disappointed because she lacked manners, making it very difficult for me to stay calm and work through a now heated situation in a logical and non-​impulsive fashion (I’m ashamed to admit that her persistent rudeness, fake smile, and wicked mentality worked a number on me).
In short, Joanne is a bitter woman who does not provide good service to her customers: rather, she makes them walk away feeling sorry that they ever stepped foot in her store. If my review hasn’t convinced you that Joanne is not someone you want to give the benefit of doubt to, you can, of course, see for yourself and learn through firsthand knowledge that she’s not someone you want to deal with.

Joanne is so great! I came in looking for envelopes and stickers for my wedding invitations, which we are making ourselves. I gave her short notice (I needed 100 of everything), but she was able to give me what she had in stock. What she didn’t have she ran all over town to find! She even sat with my mom and I and cut/​folded pieces of the invitations for us. So nice!
I am extremely happy with everything, and I know my invites will be amazing!

So far so good.
This is pricier than other scrapbook stores I’ve used in the past (Orange County!) but since most of those independent scrapbook stores that I’ve been to have closed down, and this is pretty close to my work so I can go during lunch, this place is not bad at all. Maybe the reason my previous favorite scrapbook stores closed down is BECAUSE the prices were too low, who knows. This place is here and they have all the basics I could ask for.
They have plenty enough paper selections.
And a good sized sales rack.
Equipment is available which is absolutely a must for those of us who don’t have our own.
They also have large tables upon which you can work.

I did a Friday night open crop! Free crop if you purchase $ 10 worth of products! How could I not! This store has about a billion different types of paper, much better selection of paper than Michaels with competitive prices! The store is set up in a way that invites you to explore; sections of holidays and events like camping and sports. There were many supplies and tools available for use during the crop; a great variety, but some of the punches were a little old and not sharp enough to make precise cuts. There is a Cricut with many cartridges available, but unfortunately due to theft of cartridges, the Cricut is not available for individual use and the owner or her employees have to operate the machine for the customers. The owner and her employees are very friendly and I was told that they would host a crop anytime, with a minimum of 6 people and they allow you to come to the store during business hours to scrapbook for just $ 5. To sum it up, I had a great time and will be returning often.

I just got back from visiting this place. I had pretty high hopes but left mostly disappointed.
First off, though, I gotta say that the sales associate (blonde younger woman) who helped me gets 5 stars for customer service. She had a great sense of humor! She also knew what she was talking about. She did her best to help me and was very personable.
As for the store … I guess I can compliment it on looking so neat and organized, but everything was so pricey and I couldn’t find what I needed. I first came looking for shaped hole punches. They have only a handful. I understand, I guess — they’re a small store. (Note: Michael’s has a whole bunch. I saw them yesterday.)
Then I asked if they had card stock that is thin enough to be run through a printer. The sales associate pointed me out to some, which was being sold in single sheets… for 49 cents each.
Yes.
A single sheet of paper.
For 49 cents.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It wasn’t even fancy paper! It was a plain color, 8.5×11″, with no special finish!
So after poking around a little more, I left empty-​handed. I definitely won’t be returning, since Michael’s has a better selection of some stuff at a more affordable price anyway. What a shame.

Honestly a great place for supplies etc. The employees were very helpful and nice.

Small businesses have to work harder to keep their clientele and to create loyalty.
So, you would think this store would try a little harder to keep their customers. I have been disappointed too many times by this store. Let’s just start with store hours. I was in the area at 6:30 pm on a Friday night. Called the store to find out how late they were open. The gal who answered the phone made sure to explain that they were only open for Croppers and that all other money was not welcome. You would think that they would want the extra revenue while they are already open. Second time I called, I had a GROUPON to spend and it expired in two days. I asked if there was anytime that they would be open later than 5pm since I was coming from Valencia. She said no. I explained that her Unilocal hours showed her open from 10am-​7pm M-​F. She made a big deal about she didn’t even know why that stated that and that she could afford to stay open so someone could come in and spend a GROUPON. Horrible customer service. Truly, you should be kissing my butt because I gave you my money to pay your bills and you aren’t willing to accommodate money that you have already received and used to pay some other bill.
Now, let’s talk about selection. .. HORRIBLE! This store is outdated and you can tell that she doesn’t or can’t afford to keep on top of all the newest product. The product is organized by theme, so that makes it easy to find. But, there is very little choice. She has a lot of paper racks but her paper is old and dusty. Wish I could find something nice to say about her but I am pretty frustrated. ‘
Long ago, before the move, the staff and store owner used to care. They would help you with page layouts and creating one of a kind projects. Now, it feels like she is in big fat hurry to do something else. Feels like she is trying to decide whether to close down or not. She might want to consider it since she isn’t interested in providing any kind of good customer service. Horrible, Unkind, No Service, Not much product choice, limited hours and the icing on the cake. .. an owner that is tired of the small business game.
Try Paper Arts Warehouse in Anaheim or Remember When in Valencia. .. Amazing customer service and selection!

I called Once Upon a Page about 15 minutes before they closed to see if I could come in right before closing time, and the clerk said she didn’t mind.
I ended up staying waaay later than I planned because I found a ton of paper I liked and couldn’t decide on.
I kept this woman 20 minutes after her shift ended, and after the store closed, and she was so friendly, kind, thoughtful, and I really really appreciated it.
This isn’t a restaurant where she might make extra tips if she stayed late – this is (I assume) an hourly position – and I commend the store for hiring a worker who was willing to do this for me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. You showed me excellent customer service.

I went to a scrap-​booking class with a deal I bought on LivingSocial. After a few attempts to schedule a class, we were able to figure out something that worked for my daugther and myself.
We ended up having a class with just the 2 of us that was run by Peggy. She was a great instructor and you could tell was very enthusiastic about scrapbooking.
We created two pages that demonstarted a variety of scrapbooking techiniques. Really enjoyed the session and will hopefully go back there to get some supplies once I start a project.

THE WORST MOST ARROGANT «workers» I’ve dealt with in a very long time!
I would never go there again, and definitely would steer anyone away!
Some self important woman called Sarah — treats CUSTOMERS like they are doing US the favor — for giving them business. I hope this crap place goes under.

My daughter wanted to do a memory book for her boyfriend who is leaving the country to study abroad. Neither of us are scrapbookers, and both time and money are big issues, We tried Michael’s and JoAnn’s and Target, and she was just not feeling inspired. I’d never even noticed this store before, but on my way home from work today, there it was, shining like a beacon of hope just blocks from home. I walked in to take a peek, and called my daughter to get down there, stat!
Once she got there, we browsed and looked at all the papers, accessories, and sample scrapbooks. But although she found many things she herself liked, she wasn’t sure how to create something fun and classy for her man.
She started chatting with Sarah, the girl behind the counter, and suddenly, everything started to come to life for her. Sarah really seemed to understand what she was wanting to do, and showed her a great non-​traditional, funky accordion-​style memory book that didn’t require any special tools or skills to create. She showed us how to fold the pages and glue them together, and made suggestions about how to attach and arrange her pictures and memorabilia. She cut out two wooden covers (no charge), and helped us find the best adhesive to match our need and our low budget. She didn’t try to sell us on any fancy-​shmancy stuff, but helped us find a project that was fun, easy, classy-​looking, and priced just right. We picked up some extra paper and odds and ends from the bargain bin, too, for just a few more cents. My daughter is absolutely thrilled, and so am I! We walked out of there with enough materials to make several memory books, for less than $ 20 total.
Footnote: This store recently relocated from another location on Burbank Blvd. I think the pictures which might be available on Unilocal are from the old location. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is that some items which we’d originally considered using were out of stock, and their selection of basic scrapbooks is limited.

I shop at Once Upon a Page quite a bit. It’s the only scrapbooking store in the area (other than Michael’s) and I am a pretty big fan. The store is rather big for what they have, but it should be noted that they have just moved to a smaller location on Magnolia as of last Tuesday. That should help with the arrangement of the store.
Once Upon A Page is my go to store if I am looking for a certain theme of paper. They really have a rather large selection of paper and I think it’s a fabulous selection. They even got a new selection of «Harry Potter» paper in that isn’t gaudy in the least. They have a private parking lot to park in, but I park on the street because it’s just as easy and is not metered. I have never had any problems with the staff being rude. They have always been extremely polite to me and have never had trouble striking up conversation with me whevever I go in. The only thing I can say as a negative against them (which is why I’m rating them 4 stars instead of 5) is that I wish they carried more scrapbooking supplies other than paper and stickers. Their paper selection is HUGE and of good quality, but I wish they carried cutters, stencils, paper flowers, scrapbook storage furniture etc… If they did then this could really be my one stop shop instead of having to go back and forth between there and Michael’s or ordering from Creative Memories. All in all I’m a fan.
Oh, I must say to the girl who spoke about the bachelorette scrapbook. You stated that you were quoted $ 450 for the entire project and that it was few weeks before the wedding and you deemed it as «pricey.» I made my grandmother a scrapbook for her 70^th birthday last year and by the end of it, it ended up taking me 7 months and $ 350 for materials alone. So for her to do it in only a couple of weeks, and charge you $ 450, that barely covers materials let alone labor. I find that a rather reasonable cost.

I pass by this place every time we go to/​from Costco and I finally stopped in this past weekend.
I was happy that they had just the specific scrapbooking stuff I was looking for as a gift for someone and the lady behind the counter was patient with me (and my lack of knowledge on scrapbooking and crafting in general). Otherwise, I agree with the other reviewers that the selection is somewhat limited to just scrapbooking paper and some stickers.
What bumps it up to a 4 star for me is the baby jail they have in one corner. It was SOOO helpful for distracting my toddler who wanted to run around and touch everything.
The place is a bit old and the prices are a bit high… and would otherwise be a 3 (A-​OK).
I think perhaps this place is good for people who like to sit for hours with other crafters to work on projects (crop? Is that what it’s called?)

I came across this place totally by accident. It’s amazing what happens to you when you have a baby. I got this sudden desire to scrapbook. So what did I do? I Googled (I know! I wasn’t really using Unilocal at the time, horrible!). And this was the store I came up with.
When I walked in, the girl behind the counter could instantly see I was a newbie. And I had NO IDEA what I was doing. She was patient and very nice, walking me through the whole store and showing me all the neat things I could use and giving me good advice on what to buy and what to stay away from. I picked out a great book, I was making one for my mom, and I had brought some photos with me, so I pored over the aisles of paper and little stickers and other goodies in the two massive rooms that make up this scrapbook mecca for about an hour. When I was finally ready to check out, the girl gave me 10% off my purchase and a card to use the next time I came in for another 10% off.
Ever since that first experience, I come back frequently to feed my need for paper and other silly little crafty items. There’s a cute play area for kids, so your little ones can play and have fun while you shop. Oh! And they have pets! A guinea pig and something else I can’t quite remember. This is definitely worth a trip out of your way!

For a scrapbook specialty store they sure lack scrapbooking supplies.
I was hoping to bring home some stamps and embossing powder but sad enough I didn’t find any until we were about to leave yet the selection was limited to about three or four different color powders and the stamps were not even a looker.
We moved on to find some pen, «Where are the pens??? …oh…oh.okay.never mind.»
I don’t even know how to describe that feeling of disappointment.
The whole place was just tragic. They lacked everything except scrapbook paper and had tons and tons of tacky childish stickers. The papers weren’t worth looking at either. I usually glance at everything in art/​hobby stores but I was just bored out of my mind So I ended up just following my sister around– she rarely ever leaves any art supply store as quickly as she did this one. Record time: 10 minutes lost browsing around in this store before we got out.
And the store smelled like a building you’d find asbestos in.

I was on a hunt to create a very, very basic «scrapbook» as a gift this year. After reading the reviews for Once Upon a Page, I thought I’d given them a call to get a general guideline of the process and see if they could work within a $ 150 – 200 budget. I live out in West LA, so it was bit of a schlep to get out to Burbank, and I wanted to be sure it would be worth the time. I spoke to one of the employees as well as the owner and explained that I was on a tight deadline. I was basically looking for an album to purchase on the spot and some pages… I could do the rest solo from home. They seemed kind enough and willing enough to help me out.
I was utterly shocked when I went there and treated appallingly. There was only a few people perusing through the store when I arrived. I patiently waited to speak to woman at the counter. I’m pretty sure I was dealing with the owner, and look, I get it that people can have bad days but I was literally told that I couldn’t be helped… and that she had never turned anyone down until me. I was completely cordial and friendly, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t smell like a horse or anything. I certainly wasn’t asking for anything out of the question so is I was shocked that my business was flatly being turned down. I thanked her politely and left.
Bad day? My minority status? Maybe she didn’t like my goatee? I won’t venture to guess what might have been the issue but I will say that I sadly won’t be returning here anytime soon and can’t recommend this place to others.

As an occasional scrapbooker, I find this store’s selection sufficient. They offer basic cropping tools, albums, refills, embellishments and lots of 12×12 papers. Their materials are divided by category, which makes it easy to shop. They also have a sale section, where they sell off-​season stuff.
Every month they publish a calendar of classes and events. Last month, there was one day where the entire store was 25% off, so I stocked up! My only criticism of the store is that they double charged me for one item. Luckily, I noticed the mistake, and they reversed the charge.
The shop atmosphere is pretty friendly. I recommend signing up to their mailing list to hear about special savings events.

My best friend and I came here frequently and took some scrapbooking classes. I always loaded up on my scrapbooking supplies here too! They have some great papers, supplies and I always learn something new when I’m there, either a scarpbooking technique, or learn about a new supply to use! This is a cute little place! :)
Also, when I lived out of state I came back home to visit and they shipped a huge purchase for me too! They were very nice and accomodating to my shopping & shipping needs :)

I have been reluctant to write this review because the owner of this store is SO great and honest, yet the selection of the store itself is rather lacking.
But, for being the only scrapbook store in the area, thumbs up. Once Upon a Page has your basic scrapbook needs. And since scrapbooking is AWESOME, then this is your place :) Well, this and corporate Michael’s.
However, the selection is a bit one-​dimensional. And a bit pricey. I understand why both are the case — as times are tough and space is limited so the owner, admittedly, can only host so many products. Thus, I have only been there once since the place just doesn’t inspire me. I really wish this weren’t the case.