This Florida Art Supply Store Is A Massive Playground For Creative Minds

The company logo hangs in the permanent design collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Yet the store itself sells pencils, paint, and sketchbooks to anyone who walks through the door.

The outside looks like a giant painting. One wall borrows from a famous 1930 Piet Mondrian work, with bold blocks of red, blue, and yellow.

Other walls belong to local muralists.

Inside, the shelves hold everything from encaustic wax to fountain pens. There are free tables where you can test products before buying them.

I like how the whole place treats art as something to touch, not just admire.

This Florida shop also carries a family story that started in New York more than a century ago. I can’t imagine a better excuse to grab a new sketchbook.

So what happens when a creative brain gets loose in here?

A Century-Old Family Story Lives Behind These Colorful Walls

Back in 1919, a business called Sam Flax opened in New York City. More than 100 years later, Sam Flax Orlando keeps that family legacy alive in Central Florida.

The Orlando store first opened in 1990. It’s now the last Sam Flax shop owned by direct descendants of the Flax family, which makes it a rare piece of art-world history.

Family-run businesses this old don’t come along often. Most stores from 1919 are long gone, renamed, or swallowed by big chains.

This one kept its name and its people.

The shop originally sat farther west on Colonial Drive, at 1401 E. Colonial Drive.

It moved to its current location in 2011 and has served Orlando’s arts community for more than thirty years.

The brand even earned a spot in a famous museum. The iconic Sam Flax logo belongs to the permanent design collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

That’s a pretty fancy résumé for a place that sells erasers. Still, the history matters because it shapes the mood.

You’re shopping somewhere built by generations of people who truly cared about artists.

The Building Is Basically A Giant Outdoor Art Gallery

Drive down East Colonial and one building practically waves at you. The front wall, facing the busy road, takes inspiration from Piet Mondrian’s 1930 painting, Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow.

Those bright color blocks are hard to miss. Honestly, they work better than any sign ever could.

The rest of the exterior tells a different story. Through the Sam Flax Wall Project, the store hands its other walls to local artists as canvases.

Each round brings fresh murals to the building. The project has reached its sixth installment, so the outside keeps changing over the years.

Some of those mural debuts have come with community street parties. That’s a fun twist, since most stores celebrate a new paint job by simply reopening the doors.

Bring your phone and take a slow lap around the building. The murals make great photo backdrops, and they show off real talent from the Orlando area.

I believe this project says a lot about Sam Flax Orlando. A store that gives its own walls to artists clearly means it when it talks about supporting the creative community.

Paint Lovers, Prepare To Lose Track Of Time

Acrylics. Oils.

Watercolors. And that’s just the opening act in the paint section here.

The shelves also carry spray paint, tempera, fabric and textile paints, and glass paints. Airbrush supplies are on hand too, for anyone who likes a smoother, sprayed finish.

Serious painters will spot plenty of mediums. Think dry pigments, enamel, encaustic, gesso, and gouache, all under one roof.

Encaustic, in case you’re curious, uses heated wax mixed with pigment. It’s an old technique, and finding the supplies locally can feel like a small victory.

Of course, paint needs something to carry it. The store stocks a wide selection of paint brushes, so you can match bristles to your style instead of settling for whatever’s left.

Beginners shouldn’t feel scared off by all the choices. Start with one type of paint, a couple of brushes, and a simple surface, then build from there.

A short list helps too. Write down what you need before heading in, because this section can easily turn a quick errand into an afternoon adventure.

Sketchers And Pen Fans Get Their Own Happy Zone

Some people collect stamps. Others collect pens, and they’ll find plenty to admire here.

Sam Flax Orlando sells fine writing instruments alongside a huge drawing lineup. You’ll see pencils, pens, markers, pastels, charcoal, and graphite ready for every kind of doodle.

Calligraphy fans get special treatment too. The store carries dip pens, nibs, and holders, which are perfect for practicing fancy letters or addressing party invitations.

Finishing touches are covered as well. Erasers, fixatives, and finishes help protect your work once the drawing is done.

Then come the surfaces. Paper pads, paper rolls, and sketchbooks fill out the section, so you can pick something tiny for your bag or big enough for a wall piece.

Here’s a helpful tip for students. Ask about a student discount at the register, since the store mentions it as a perk for learners.

A fresh sketchbook might be the easiest creative boost ever. Grab one, pick a single pen you love, and challenge yourself to fill a page every day this month.

Sculptors Can Get Their Hands Gloriously Messy

Flat art isn’t for everyone. Some creative minds want to squish, shape, and build things they can hold.

Good news for them. The store stocks air-dry clay, modeling clay, and polymer clay, each with its own strengths.

Air-dry clay hardens on its own, no oven needed. That makes it a smart pick for kids and first-timers working at the kitchen table.

Polymer clay bakes in a regular home oven. It’s popular for tiny figures, beads, and jewelry with bright, lasting colors.

Bigger projects need a skeleton. Armature wires help hold up sculptures, while metals and mold-making tools open doors to even more advanced work.

Mold-making is a neat skill to try. You can copy a shape once, then cast it again and again in different materials.

The store also carries drafting supplies for planners and designers. Sketching a sculpture on paper first can save you a lot of frustration later.

So clear off a table and lay down some newspaper. Your next masterpiece might start as a plain lump of clay.

Your Favorite Artwork Deserves A Frame This Good

Readers of Orlando Weekly voted Sam Flax the Best Custom Frame Shop. That’s a big honor in a city full of art lovers.

Every frame gets made right on the premises. Each one is produced individually by hand, not stamped out in a faraway factory.

That hands-on approach matters for special pieces. A child’s first painting, a concert poster, or a family photo deserves care that matches its meaning.

Design consultations make choosing easier. You can meet in person or set up a virtual session, which helps if you’re juggling a busy schedule.

The framing team also offers pick-up and delivery. Rush services exist too, so a last-minute gift doesn’t have to stay unwrapped.

Businesses and designers get perks as well. Interior designer discounts and commercial volume pricing help when an office or home needs lots of frames at once.

Bring your artwork along for any consultation. Seeing mat colors and frame styles next to the real piece makes the right choice much clearer than guessing from memory.

Try Before You Buy? Yes, Really

Shrink wrap usually means hands off. Here, the rules are friendlier.

The store encourages shoppers to try products, even ones still sealed in plastic. That’s a refreshing change from guessing whether a pricey marker set will actually work for you.

Free try-it tables and stations make testing easy. Summer Sessions 2026 is one example, giving customers space to experiment with supplies right in the store.

This approach fits the store’s big goal. Sam Flax Orlando wants art to feel open to everyone, not just people with fancy degrees.

Testing first saves money and frustration. You’ll learn how a paint flows or how a pen feels before it comes home with you.

Try bringing a small scrap of the paper you usually use. Testing supplies on your own surface shows how they’ll really behave in your projects.

Kids especially love this kind of freedom. A few minutes at a try-it table can spark a new hobby faster than any lecture about color theory ever could.

Classes, Festivals, And Gifts Keep Things Lively

Learning alongside other people beats watching endless online tutorials. Sam Flax Orlando offers art classes for folks who want real guidance.

Classes and gift cards can be purchased through the store’s website. That’s handy for planning ahead or surprising a creative friend.

Community events pop up too. Fall Fest and Paint Strong Orlando are two that have brought people together around making art.

Events like these turn a store into a gathering spot. You might leave with a finished piece and a few new art buddies.

Gift hunters, take note. The shelves also hold unique gifts, books, stationery, furniture, home goods, and celebration items.

That mix makes birthday shopping way less stressful. Pair a nice journal with a quality pen, and you’ve got a thoughtful present that doesn’t feel generic.

The furniture selection is worth a look for anyone building a home studio. A sturdy workspace can make long creative sessions far more comfortable.

Check the store’s event calendar often. New happenings get added throughout the year, and some fill up fast.

Plan Your Visit Now, Because Change Is Coming

Big news landed in March 2026. Sam Flax Orlando announced plans to relocate from its longtime home on Colonial Drive.

A new address hasn’t been revealed yet. For now, the store remains open at 1800 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

That means time with these famous walls might be limited. Snap your mural photos while you still can.

Hours run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Sunday hours are shorter, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Colonial Drive is a busy road, so plan your turn ahead. Parking right out front is limited, and satellite parking nearby can help on crowded days.

The location sits close to downtown Orlando. It’s an easy add-on to other errands or a day exploring the city’s creative side.

Keep an eye on the store’s social channels for moving updates. A celebratory opening at the new spot is in the works, and Florida artists won’t want to miss it.

Wherever it lands, this playground for creative minds should keep the fun going.