 One Man's Vision To Provide True Value For Artists ...
In 1965, Jerry Goldstein was managing a toy store in Long Island, N.Y. One day he asked a local art teacher for his supply list, and was shocked both at the pricing and the fact that there were no discounters for art supplies. Jerry convinced his boss to start selling art supplies, and thus launched the world's first discount art supply store.
Jerry opened his own first art materials and supplies store in 1967, and introduced the thousands of budding and established artists throughout Long Island to the wonder of discount pricing. More than a mere retailer, Jerry was also a true friend to his customers, taking keen interest in their work and needs and making his store a virtual salon for them to discuss their ideas and exploits. Jerry believed in treating customers like family, and that tradition continues to this day.
 The Boys Launch Mail Order
Jerry's Artarama has always been a family business, with Jerry's two sons Ira and David starting to work in the discount art supplies store in their early teens and eventually becoming the company's two managing partners. Way back in 1979, David figured it was time to make Jerry's great prices available to everyone in the USA and so started the company's mail-order operation. The first official Jerry's Catalog was on its way!
 Beginning with $2,000 of savings, a side office, one phone, and a four-page catalog, “the boys” slowly but surely built a business under Jerry's ever-watchful eye. As the art supply company expanded, Jerry's moved up to a 10,000-square-foot warehouse in 1984, and then a gigantic 28,000 foot facility when they relocated the business to Raleigh, N.C. in 1994. David and Ira decided to open several more stores, but kept their primary focus on mail order. Today the Jerry's Catalog is a full fledged encyclopedia of artists' materials. The publication that began at only 4 pages long is now over 500 pages and growing, an invaluable resource for artists eveywhere!
Europe, China and Superstores
In the mid 1990's, David and Ira started to search numerous European countries to import art supply products unavailable in the USA. In 1998 they set out for China, where, they quickly realized, they could unearth the best values for their customers. Further, they found they could also create products with relative ease there. In fact, the line of art materials and products they produced had a revolutionary effect on the U.S. art-supply market.  Seeking yet more space, Jerry's opened an 80,000-square-foot facility in Henderson, N.C. Selling to customers in virtually every country of the world from its top-notch web site, Jerry's staff of 135 people now services over 200,000 customers worldwide from the Raleigh and Henderson facilities.
 Starting around 2003, Jerry's started opening super stores with regularity. Today there are 15 discount art supply stores in the chain, including locations throughout the Northeast and the South, plus stores in Texas and Colorado. Jerry's Artarama Superstores provide more than just incredible discount prices. They also provide instructional workshops, new art supply demos and special art related events, encouraging a sense of community for artists across the country.
|