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Pearl Art and Crafts Goes Under

Pearl Art and Crafts Goes Under

Cambridge art and craft mecca Pearl Art is going out of business this week. The store is offering 75 percent discounts, and has been mobbed with customers waiting in lines at the register for more than an hour long last night.

Pearl, located at 579 Mass. Ave, in Central Square, has been a reliable and reasonably-priced source for art supplies with a good selection quite near to campus for decades.

About 70 percent of the stock is sold out, but many physically large items remain, such as foamcore sheets.

Pearl’s 800 telephone customer service line said their last day would be Friday, and employees at the store seemed uncertain. The Cambridge Chronicle reported the store would be open through Sunday, and Pearl’s corporate offices did not return calls for comment.

Pearl is closing several of its stores in other cities as well.

Pearl is survived by Artist and Craftsman Supply, across the street at 580 Mass. Ave, and Utrecht Art Supply at 1030 Mass Ave. Both stores are slightly more geared towards the professional artist community than Pearl was.

John A. Hawkinson