Creative projects have a habit of demanding exactly the one supply you cannot find at a typical craft store. Art Mart in Muncie helps solve that problem with shelves packed with specialty paints, pens, papers, calligraphy tools, and other materials for artists who know precisely what they need—or simply want to experiment.
Its North Martin Street shop serves Ball State students alongside local painters, designers, and hobbyists, giving the place the feel of a genuine neighborhood art resource. Then there is Barcode, the friendly shop cat adding even more personality. For creative types, browsing here can be nearly as much fun as starting the project itself.
A Tiny Muncie Storefront With a Surprisingly Deep Shelf
Blink while driving down North Martin Street and you could miss it. Art Mart sits in a modest storefront at 409 N Martin St, Suite 2, a short hop from the Ball State University campus. Nothing about the outside screams for attention, and that is half the fun.
Step through the door and the scale flips. The room is small, but the shelves are stacked with an impressive range of supplies, from tubes of paint to drawing pencils to specialty pens. Every inch has a job, and the layout makes smart use of a tight space.
Organization is the quiet hero here. Supplies are grouped by medium, so watercolor shoppers are not digging through markers, and sketchers can find graphite and charcoal without a scavenger hunt. A neat, well-planned room means a quick errand can actually stay quick.
Small shops sometimes feel cramped or random. This one feels curated instead. Products seem chosen because artists actually use them, not because a warehouse needed to clear stock.
There are also hints that the store may be growing. Signs of an expansion have shown up in recent months, which suggests the shelves might soon get even more room to breathe. For now, the compact size keeps things personal and easy to browse.
Parking is available right out front, which is a real bonus near a busy college area. No circling the block, no long walk hauling a giant pad of paper back to the car. Pull in, grab what you need, and go.
First-time visitors should give themselves at least fifteen extra minutes. The shop is small, but the variety invites slow browsing, and the shelves reward anyone who looks closely at the brands lined up row after row.
Calligraphy Sets, Specialty Pens, and Brands Big Box Stores Skip
Ask any lettering fan about hunting for the right nib, and you will hear a story of frustration. Chain craft stores usually carry one or two beginner calligraphy kits and call it a day. Art Mart takes that category much more seriously.
Calligraphy sets show up here in real variety, along with brushes, inks, and many types of pens. Fine liners, brush pens, and drawing tools sit side by side, giving letterers and illustrators room to compare. That kind of range is exactly what makes the trip pay off.
Brand choice is another strong point. Instead of one house label, shoppers can weigh several makers against each other. That matters for artists who already know their favorite pigment or paper and refuse to settle for a substitute.
Graduates of Ball State have a habit of swinging by whenever they are back in town, simply because certain items are tough to track down elsewhere. Designers especially value finding exactly the tool their workflow depends on. A tiny shop that reliably stocks the odd item becomes a real asset.
Paint is a big draw too. Quality acrylics, watercolors, and markers outnumber what most hobby chains offer, and student-grade and professional-grade options often share the same shelf. Beginners can start cheap while experienced painters reach higher.
To be fair, professional open stock can be hit or miss. A specific high-end color might not be on hand every visit. Calling ahead or asking staff about ordering is a smart move for anyone chasing a very particular product.
Fiber crafters should know the selection leans toward drawing and painting. Embroidery floss exists, but the range is smaller. Paint, ink, and paper are clearly the store’s strongest suits, and those shelves rarely disappoint.
Test Before You Buy: Swatches, Scribble Paper, and Smart Displays
Scribbles cover the little sheets of paper beside the marker racks. Loops, stars, zigzags, and someone’s half-finished doodle of a cat all sit there as proof that shoppers are trying before buying. It is a simple idea that saves a lot of regret.
Every marker display comes with test paper, so customers can see how a color really looks once it hits a page. The cap color on a marker can lie. A quick swipe tells the truth about tone, ink flow, and whether a tip is as fine as advertised.
Paints get the same treatment. Swatches show actual color on actual surfaces, which helps when choosing between two blues that look identical in the tube. For anyone mixing colors, seeing true shades ahead of time is a major help.
Display areas also carry educational information about each medium. Short notes explain what a product does, how it behaves, and sometimes which surfaces work best. Beginners get a mini lesson right in the aisle.
Here is a practical tip. Bring a sketchbook page or scrap of the paper you plan to use at home. Comparing a marker on the test sheet is good, but knowing how it reacts with your own paper can be even better.
These details turn shopping into a hands-on experiment. Instead of guessing from a photo online, artists can feel the pen tip, judge the opacity of a paint, and leave confident.
Students working on tight assignment budgets benefit most. Buying the wrong supply can wreck both a project and a week’s spending money. A few test strokes protect against both problems before anything lands on the counter.
Meet Barcode, the Furry Supervisor Behind the Counter
Some stores have a mascot painted on the sign. Art Mart has one that naps, wanders the aisles, and accepts chin scratches as payment. Meet Barcode, the resident shop cat and easily the most popular staff member in the building.
Barcode is famously sweet. Scritches behind the ears are especially welcome, according to regulars who make a point of saying hello on every visit. Plenty of shoppers admit they stop by partly just to see the cat.
Fun fact: Barcode is not the first feline to hold the job. A cat named Rain once ruled the shop before heading into a well-earned retirement, and an earlier era featured a much-loved cat called Jabba. Art Mart clearly takes its cat tradition seriously.
The name Barcode fits a store full of price tags and scanners almost too perfectly. It is the kind of playful touch that sums up the shop’s personality. Serious supplies, but nobody here takes themselves too seriously.
For kids tagging along on a supply run, the cat turns a boring errand into a highlight. Parents can browse paints while younger visitors make a new four-legged friend. Everyone wins.
A few manners help keep Barcode happy. Let the cat come to you, offer a hand to sniff first, and skip the grab-and-hug approach. Cats who choose to say hello tend to stick around longer.
Visitors with allergies should keep the cat in mind before visiting. The shop is small, so a furry roommate is hard to avoid. For most people, though, Barcode is a bonus feature no big box chain can copy.
Artists Helping Artists at This Indiana Art Shop
Picture this. A student walks in holding a project sheet and looking lost, unsure which paper will survive a heavy layer of gouache. Ten minutes later, they leave with the right pad, the right paint, and a plan.
That kind of exchange happens often at Art Mart, because the people working here are artists themselves. They love talking shop, and they are open about the brands they personally prefer. Advice comes from experience, not from a sales script.
Staff will ask about your project and your exact needs. They can explain which papers pair with certain materials and which paints blend into truer colors. Those small differences are easy to miss when shopping alone.
Honesty stands out too. Rather than steering shoppers toward the priciest option, the team tends to point people toward what actually fits the job and the budget. Sometimes the best answer is the cheaper tube.
Friendly and inclusive service shows up again and again in the shop’s reputation. Workers come across as relaxed, kind, and happy to hunt down even small items hiding on a shelf. Beginners never need to feel embarrassed asking basic questions.
Out-of-towners benefit as well. Travelers passing through Muncie on road trips have stopped in and found the counter staff ready to answer anything, including questions about getting products that are not in stock.
For the best help, come prepared. Bring a photo of your project, the name of the medium, or the assignment list from class. Clear details let the staff match supplies to your goal quickly, and you will likely learn something new along the way.
Ball State Neighbors, Bulletin Boards, and Mystery Bags
Just inside the entrance hangs a public bulletin board crowded with flyers. Gallery openings, class announcements, and calls for artists overlap like a paper collage. Before shoppers even reach the paint aisle, they get a snapshot of Muncie’s creative scene.
Art Mart works as a gathering point for local makers. Its spot near Ball State puts it in the daily path of art and design students, and those students make up a big chunk of the customer base. Professors’ supply lists often lead straight here.
Still, this is not only a campus shop. Local painters, crafters, and hobbyists treat it as their neighborhood source too. Students and longtime residents end up browsing the same shelves.
Small playful extras keep things lively. Trading art cards are part of the fun for some regulars, and mystery bags offer a surprise grab of supplies. Families visiting their college kids have even turned these into a tradition on every trip.
Mystery bags make a clever way to try new materials. Someone stuck painting in the same style might discover a pen, pastel, or tool they would never have picked on their own. Low risk, high curiosity.
Being a local business gives the store a closer connection to its shoppers. Owners and workers recognize faces, remember projects, and respond to what the community actually needs. That relationship has kept the shop going for well over a decade.
New to Muncie? Read the bulletin board slowly before leaving. It might point you toward a workshop, a show, or a group of artists who meet nearby. Then grab a mystery bag on the way out.
Hours, Sales, and Smart Timing for Your Supply Run
Timing a visit right can save both money and stress. Art Mart keeps generous weekday hours, opening at 8 AM Monday through Friday. Tuesday through Thursday it stays open until 8 PM, while Friday closes at 6 PM.
Weekends run shorter. Saturday hours are 10 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday runs from noon to 5 PM. Hours can shift, so a quick check before a long drive is a good habit.
Early weekday mornings tend to suit anyone who wants quiet browsing and extra time with staff. Evenings near the start of a semester can get busy as students rush to fill class lists. Plan around that crunch if possible.
Now, about price. Because this is a small independent shop focused on serious artists, regular prices can run a bit higher than giant chains. The tradeoff is better quality, more brand choice, and real expert advice.
Smart shoppers have ways around that. Frequent sales and seasonal deals pop up throughout the year, which makes them a great time to stock up on pricier paints or paper. The store also runs a loyalty points program that rewards repeat visits.
Here is a simple strategy. Make a running list of supplies you use often, then buy in bulk during a sale. Points keep adding up in the background.
Need something unusual? Ask at the counter about special orders. Since professional open stock varies, staff can help figure out options. Park out front, bring your list, and leave room in the trunk for a big drawing pad or two.
Share this story
