03/27/09

Oh such a sad place

by Sanja

Apart from the personnel being horribly rude, the store is ridiculously overpriced. Besides, the selection is so poor that it took me over an hour to find something to spend my $50 gift certificate on.

I ended up buying regular supplies (like strings and findings).

Go somewhere else.

• Pros: Example: best croissants in town
• Cons: What are the drawbacks?

12/09/08

Really Pretty Pieces

by notwist6

I really love Beadniks in general, i have previously been to the one in Sarasota, Florida, but the Chicago location wasn't the best. I work at a Bead Store, and have been beading for years, but since I'm only 18, the staff disregarded me as 'just another teenager,' and didn't give me the time of day. I walked in and no one said anything, not even hello! An older woman walked in after me, and they were all over her asking if she needed help and asking how she was. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't have money to spend! I spent about an hour in the store, and only one of the women was helpful. Still, the store is GORGEOUS, and they have a lot of really pretty beads; a ton of Bali and really cute charms. I was disappointed in the selection of semi-precious, and what they did have was pretty expensive. Obviously all the people who work there are really talented, you can tell by the already made jewelry throughout the store, I just think the staff could be a little more friendly. Definitely go, if only to get some ideas.

• Pros: Really pretty, fun beads!
• Cons: Not so great staff

02/12/08

best bead shop ever, even if you don't like beads!

by 0507

I love this shop. Not only is this a great place to hang out with your friends, but you come away with an amazing piece of jewelry to boot. In the past when I've visited other bead shops, I would get overwhelmed with all of the choices and sometimes end up with a weird looking piece. Not here. The folks who work at Beadniks are sooo talented and they are ready to help with advice and fabrication (or to leave you alone, whatever you want). The selection is also much more modern than at other places I've been -- it's not just "beads" the way you may think of them -- the things they have really allow you to make jewelry you would actually want to wear; not something you'll just throw in a drawer later. In fact, there were many pre-made pieces that could easily have been sold side by side with the jewelry at Fragments in NYC or in the Sundance catalog. I left with a pair of earrings that I made, and two pairs of earrings and a necklace that the staff had made. In fact, even if you have no interest in beading, if you love jewelry, you should grab a friend and check it out.

• Pros: The selection, the staff, the funky neighborhood
• Cons: none