Art Star

Philadelphia, United States

4.8

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 215-238-1557
Website:
www.artstarphilly.com
Address:
623 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA, 19123
Northern Liberties
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.6 miGirard
0.8 mi5th and Market
0.8 miChinatown
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
By Appointment Only
No

Today

Today 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Philadelphia) 8:19 AM Friday, November 29, 2024

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Art Star gallery & boutique sells affordable & unique artist designed & handmade gifts. We carry handmade items & products by artists throughout the country, as well as a handful of international artists. We also work closely with select artists to design & develop limited edition products. Our goal is to offer well crafted items at a full range of prices to accommodate everyone’s budget. We currently work w/​50+ artists & stock everything from one-​of-​a-​kind pieces to housewares, prints, jewelry, clothing & more. In addition to our brick-​and-​mortar shop, we also put on Philadelphia’s largest outdoor craft fair — the Art Star Craft Bazaar, which won Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly Award for Best Shopping Event in 2010.

History

Established in 2004.

Art Star Gallery & Boutique is owned & operated by Tyler School of Art grads, Megan Brewster & Erin Waxman. The duo opened up shop after a series of small, but successful craft shows called the Art Star Craft Bazaar that were held in the summer of 2003. Their first location was located on the Liberties Walk in Northern Liberties, but they have since moved to a more spacious location down the street at 623 N. 2nd Street.

Meet the Business Owner

Megan and Erin B.

Business Owner

Erin Waxman graduated from Tyler School of Art in 1999 with a B.F.A. in Jewelry, Metalsmithing, and CAD-​CAM. After graduation she developed a small production line of hand made jewelry and clothing. She began selling her work at local craft shows and in small boutiques in the area. After finding that there were limited venues in Philadelphia for emerging artists, she started the Art Star Craft Bazaar. The series of craft shows were a success and she decided to open up Art Star with Megan Brewster in November of 2004.

Megan Brewster graduated from Tyler School of Art in 2000, with a B.F.A. in Ceramics. After graduation she ran the gallery at The Clay Studio in the Old City section of Philadelphia. She joined forces with Erin Waxman and began selling her work at a series of local craft shows that they had developed. In 2004, the two decided to open up their own gallery & boutique, Art Star.

Art Star also recommends

Bus Stop

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Shoe Stores

Megan and Erin B. says,

«AWESOME shoes & excellent customer service»

Arcadia Boutique — CLOSED

22

reviews

Women’s Clothing

,

Accessories

Megan and Erin B. says,

«Great selection of eco-​friendly clothing & jewelry»

Once Worn Consignment

29

reviews

Used, Vintage & Consignment

Megan and Erin B. says,

«Affordable & large selection of clothing, shoes, jewelry & accessories. Also carries a good amount of designer items. Gets new items in everyday.»

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20 reviews of Art Star

No registration required
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Yay!
This place has the cutest homemade trinkets, toys, and art. I was a little overwhelmed by the prices at first, but keeping in mind that I was supporting independent artists calmed that shock.
There are a few sale bins, which are fun to rifle through and I managed to find two really cute French bakery prints for $ 15 each.
The owner is really nice and we watched her making the cutest little adornments for Christmas wrapping.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
An awesome place to get artwork, gifts, and anything handmade! The ladies who run this shop and gallery are so great, too. Really supportive of independent artists. If you’re in the Philadelphia area, this shop deserves your visit and support!
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Super cute. Super friendly. Fun merchandise in a beautiful store.
Place rating: 5
Prospect Park, PA
I’ve dealt with Art Star quite a few times so far and I love them. The staff is so friendly and professional. Everything in the shop is great. Has exactly what you’d want from a local shop. I will be going back again, and again, and again.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
I love this place! I always stop in when I’m in the area. They have a lot of really nice items – it’s a good place to go for a gift. My favorite is the Kurt Halsey art – we have a lotttttt of his stuff in our house. The staff is friendly and willing to help. They also have an awesome craft show by the water in late spring that I love to hit up. Check this place out!
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Absolutely love this place! I always stop here when I find myself in Northern Liberties during the day.
As a lover of witty greeting cards, I’ve found that it has the best selection in all of Philadelphia. I never leave the store without buying four or five of them.
They also are a great place to shop for gifts made by local artists — jewelry, clothing, baby items, home décor, etc. Make sure to check out the craft bazaar they host at Penn’s landing every May. It is phenomenal!
Also, make sure to get a stamper card for them to keep on file for you. Every $ 20 you spend gets marked and gets you closer to receiving a credit!
And lastly, the owner is always super nice!
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Really unique store! Unpretentious, but on the pulse of the art world. Amazing jewelry, baby gear, home goods, clothing, and (you guessed it) art for sale at reasonable prices. I’ve never seen the things they sell at any other store. Lots of organic and local options.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
I think the best thing about Art Star is the fact that they value their customers. It seems that every time I enter they are offering some sort of shopper’s coupon, or neighborhood discount for a special event, or just serving up something amazing like mimosas or hot chocolate. Art Star feels like a good friend, one that I’d trust enough with my secrets and tears. Plus, they have awesome jewelry, art and other stuff. They carry Kurt Halsey stuff in many forms and it’s possible I’ve bought it all. The cards here are top notch and unique. I always try to purchase gifts and cards here first before heading to big chain store. I am also pretty obsessed with the jewelry sold at Art Star. From rings, to necklaces, to brooches, they’re all amazing. I usually end up buying myself a present whenever I’m gift shopping. Oops.
They also gift wrap and over Christmas the wrapping came with these great little paper (homemade by the owner) bows. I mean, come on.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Such a great spot to gift shop! The selection is always changing. Every time I walk by, I have to stop to see what’s new. And. Make sure to get an Art Star punch card. Each time you spend $ 20, you get a punch to earn $ 20 free on anything! Maybe even something with a bird on it!
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Art Star is probably my favorite store in Philadelphia. I love supporting DIY businesses and artists, and this place has got the best finds for art, clothing, accessories, housewares. On more than one occasion I have come in on my way to a shower/​party/​etc. looking for a last minute gift and always manage to find just the right thing. The two women who co-​run the store are both lovely, friendly and helpful people, and it makes me happy to support them. They also put on one HELL of a bazaar!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
I loved everything about this store/​gallery! I was reintroduced to Kurt Halsey! Haven’t seen his stuff for a long time. Also, totally in love with «In which the lotus bloom captures everyone’s attention» by Noferin. Look it up. Adorbs!!!
Cutesy, art, jewelry, and apparel! They recently revamped their online store and it isn’t too shabby either. We came by because Toast’s sister wanted to check it out. Prices aren’t too bad for prints and they have a huge sale section. Some stuff is pricier. The gallery/​store is vibrant and spacious, and one of the jewelry makers was hanging out at the store eating lunch. Pretty awesome!
Now to get me that Noferin print… i less than 3 it!!!
Place rating: 4
Philadelphia, PA
I love Kurt Halsey’s art, and Art Star always carries his work. The rest of their stuff is cute too. I’ve bought items here a few times, but most of the time, I just stop in to look and walk around to become inspired. Some of their things can be a bit pricey but they oftentimes have sales and deals (such as Groupon) so if you can wait, it won’t be so much.
The store is spacious yet cozy and the staff is nice and friendly. Sometimes they have first Friday art opens with food and drinks. Also they have a craft fair at least once per year on Penn’s Landing.
If you are looking for something unique and artsy — anything from clothes, jewelry, cards, or housewares — this is the place to go.
Place rating: 4
Elkins Park, PA
I immediately felt right at home when I walked into Art Star. Even though it was my first time there, I was greeted as if I was a member of a close-​knit family. That’s a wonderful feeling and such a rarity these days, even from independent boutiques, galleries, and the like.
While I did not purchase anything, I was intrigued by the selection, and what a broad spectrum of goods were available. I walked away with quite a large shopping list in my head for the future (as in, this is a place worth my putting some money aside to come back and spend spend spend). On the top of that list would definitely have to be some prints. Talk about cute and funky! I always admire the prints my friend has in her house, and I found them all right there in Art Star. Next on the list would have to be some knitted items (an owl hat caught my eye). I know where I am going to purchase many gifts for friends and family now. Art Star has made my life so much easier. Kudos to Art Star for being unique but affordable, cute but not annoyingly so. Hip but not hipster. Love.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Art Star is one of the primary outfits responsible for re-​invigorating the Philadelphia homemade artisan goods scene. They’ve brought up their annual Spring Bazaars to Penn’s Landing bringing in all sorts of talents both local and nationwide and they are invested in this city and the neighborhood in which they started (first at Liberties Walk, and now on 2nd near Green in that lovely open white space that also functions as a gallery in the back). Art Star is very much Etsy come alive, a Philly-​centric Etsy mortar and brick store.
Perfect destination for unique and memorable gifts, and it’s my number one destination for baby gifts. They carry the cutest knit wear and silk screened shirts and onesies, all of which I think are always more thoughtful and unique compared to what you could ever get at Babies R Us. That being said, the price tag here is a bit heftier than what you would find at your run of the mill big box stores, but I’m often willing to throw down a few extra dollars for something special than something generic.
Lovely selection of handmade jewelry, stationery, clothing, pottery and adorable knick-​knacks, you really can’t go wrong with anything purchased from here, and you can be certain that the gift-​ee won’t have anything already like it. They also carry unique seasonal stuff for the holidays too which is always fun.
Art Star also supports different local artists almost every month if not every other month, and features their art for purchase. I’ve gotten some great affordable pieces here that now hang on my walls at home and make me happy.
The ladies at Art Star are also super nice, informed, and they even keep a frequent customer card on file for your purchases — talk about incentives! Worth the visit, even just to browse! Birthday and holiday unique gift options abound!
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
I was never a customer of Art Star. I want to let you know that before you read any further.
I was doing research when I entered. I knew my ambition was in the artistic realm and I wanted to survey people who work in this space and bounce ideas off them to determine the practicality of my idea. This was the resource that I was seeking.
The lovely girl at the counter listened to my haywire idea and was able to point me to the right place to get it accomplished. Any place with employees that take the time to listen and answer questions to someone with a design concept shows that they are there because they care, not for their bottom line.
The space is a good size with all kinds of very quirky but stylish pieces. I’m not much of a decorator but I know that I will come back here. It might be the spot to find that one of a kind piece.
At the very least, the are personable and will listen to you. That’s enough for a visit in my book.
Place rating: 4
Mount Joy, PA
I really liked the idea of this store more than the store itself. It had a nice collection of local wares, art and clothing. Most of it fell on the cutesy side of art. Some if it I could stand but it became almost overkill. I will be back when I need a wedding gift.
Shop local!
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
While searching on Unilocal for a place to get a gift for my mom for Christmas, I ran across Art Star (although it wasn’t hard to miss considering the stellar reviews).
I ventured there last Friday morning and was taken aback by how adorable this place is. Their selection is eclectic and fun, yet still very simple, which is exactly what I look for when buying things for decorating. I was having a hard time remembering I was there for my mom, not for me.
Eventually I ended up purchasing a vase by Robert Siegel and Stephanie Kao that had this amazing «lace» detailing at the top. Megan, one of the owners was so helpful and had a card for the piece to put with the gift. Considering I always get carried away with gift giving, I also purchased a bird ornament from Hoosier Magnolia, which is based in Boston for my boyfriend’s mom.
I was so pleased to find such wonderful gifts that just feel special.
Place rating: 5
ALLSTON, MA
There’s always something I’d like to buy at Art Star. It’s a fun place to go with a friend, ooh and ahh, and get at least one thing– there’s plenty of little doodads that don’t cost much near the registers.
Everything is unique and homemade by various artists. Jewelry, dishes, clothing, purses, wall art, postcards, etc. There’s also an art gallery in the back. Too cute! You’ll be proud to tell someone, «I got it at Art Star!»
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Now this is indeed a fun Art Star. I didn’t go into it too much when it was in Liberties Walk. But since it’s moved a few blocks away I’m pretty sure that it has gotten even bigger and has bought in a whole lot more cool stuff.
when I walked in I was instantly welcomed by a cool arts chick. I feel that every good establishment needs to have one (not saying that as an off putting thing, I’m just a fan) So I loved that they had one there. and when I walked around I saw all kinds of cool things. There was a lot more screen printed things than I would have liked to have seen. But The awesome Art Star Crafts Bazaar that they hosted awhile back had me prepared for it. and hot damn where were the original artworks smoking. Let’s just say that when I’m rich I may just buy out the store. I definitely recommend going here when you’re looking to kill some time, or when you’re blooking to buy a unique gift for a friend.
Place rating: 5
North Port, FL
You know why I LOVE Art Star so much?
Because my favorite artist, Kurt Halsey, does an expo there almost EVERY year. (His art is there until July 13th, so feel free to swing by and check it out).
They are so friendly and inviting inside. Seriously. Love them. And their handmade goods are amazing. A bit pricey but amazing none the less.