Acorn General Store opened at 41 Church Street in September 2024 and quickly became a Montclair favorite. Known for its curated mix of vintage finds, sustainably sourced goods, eco-friendly brands, and charming private label merchandise, the shop is taking its community-focused mission one step further by launching a pay-what-you-can art supply outpost from Propagate Studio. Keep reading to learn more about how Acorn General Store and Propagate invite the community to explore, create, and give back through its thrifted art supply concept.

About the Partnership

Propagate Studio is an art studio and art supply thrift shop in Warren County, NJ. It is now expanding opening outposts of its art supply thrift shop, including in Sparta, Woodstown, and Bloomfield. Artist and community advocate Samantha Matthews started Propagate Studio to make art materials affordable and abundant for anyone at any stage in their creative journey while keeping unwanted creative supplies out of landfills.

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When Samantha visited Acorn’s downstairs space, something clicked. “Acorn was recommended to me by another small business friend, and when I checked out their shop online, I immediately loved their vibe,” she told The Montclair Girl. “When we went in person and saw the downstairs space, all my idea pistons started firing. Offering a creative person like me a space like that is a dream. It just felt right!”

The partnership came together organically. Darya Mishina, Acorn’s co-owner, had been following Propagate Studio and was eager to bring its unique model to Montclair. “The ability to be creative without the financial burden can motivate wonderful things,” Darya told The Montclair Girl. “I hope it brings inspiration to the community.”

 

What to Expect

The shop operates on a “take what you’ll use, pay-what-you-can” model. Visitors can browse a curated selection of gently used and new art supplies, from paints and sketchbooks to brushes and collage materials, all available with flexible pricing.

Samantha sees the outpost as more than a shopping experience; it is a resource that gives materials a second life while encouraging community members to embrace creativity. “I’m excited for folks to find out about us as a resource to bring unused and unwanted supplies. Whether that’s from their own stash or something they inherited,” she said. “We all have items that deserve to be used and not collect dust or end up in the landfill.”

The shop accepts donations from Tuesday through Friday and will take items such as fabric, sewing machines and supplies, crayons, markers, colored pencils, construction paper, paint, yarn, unused coloring books, foam or felt sheets, new glue sticks, and paint brushes. Interested donors can find a full list on Acorn General Store’s Instagram page.

In addition to thrifted art supplies, the outpost sells mystery bags and books at a set price, ranging from $15 to $25 (pictured above). These are packaged under a theme, like Granny Core, 1980s Inspired, and color-specific craft items. There are also blind date packages, which give people a fun activity to try with a friend or loved one.

The outpost officially opened on the lower level of Acorn General Store on May 31st. It is open during the store’s regular business hours, Tuesday through Saturday from 11AM to 7PM and Saturday from 11AM to 5PM. The store is closed on Sundays.

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