This Tennessee Craft Store Has Prices So Low Shoppers Drive Hours Just To Visit

Up to 95 percent of the stock at one Tennessee craft shop has been priced at five dollars or less. Yes, really. Fabric, yarn, buttons, paint, and frames, all at thrift-store prices.

The twist is that it’s a nonprofit. Every bit of profit supports adults with intellectual disabilities, and many of them work right there on the sales floor.

I love a bargain, but I love a bargain with a purpose even more. That combination makes a long drive feel downright reasonable.

The shelves change constantly because nearly everything arrives as donations. One week brings silk and brocade, and the next might bring vintage records or a stack of maps.

Your Wallet Is About To Feel Very Relaxed

Craft hobbies can get expensive fast, which makes Smart Art + Craft Supplies in Nashville feel like a small miracle. Up to 95 percent of the inventory has been priced at five dollars or less.

That number changes how you shop. You can grab the yarn color you’re unsure about without a second thought.

The store sells new and gently used art and craft supplies. Most items land at a fraction of their original retail price. That’s the whole reason people treat it like a road trip destination.

Sales push the savings even further. Past Dollar Days events dropped items to a dollar or less, and the shop has also run percentage-off sales.

My advice is simple. Bring a loose plan and a flexible budget, because the deals tend to multiply once you start browsing.

Following the store on social media helps too. That’s where upcoming sales and specials get announced, so you can time your visit for the best markdowns.

Just know that returns generally aren’t accepted. The store may allow an exchange if something doesn’t suit your project, so check before you leave.

Every Purchase Helps Someone Build A Career

Behind the bargains sits a big mission. All profits from Smart Art + Craft Supplies benefit Progress Inc., a local nonprofit in Tennessee.

Progress Inc. works to promote the health, happiness, and safety of adults living with intellectual disabilities. The store is one important way it does that work.

The shop operates as a vocational center. Adults with intellectual disabilities receive job training and paid employment right inside the building.

Their tasks cover the real work of running a store. Employees process donations, stock shelves, clean, and help customers find what they need.

I appreciate that the good deed isn’t hidden in fine print. It’s part of how the whole place runs every single day.

So that bag of buttons does more than finish a sweater. It helps keep paychecks and job skills flowing to people in the community.

Volunteers also pitch in, so there are ways to help beyond shopping. Ask the staff about opportunities if you live nearby and want to get involved.

Honestly, it’s tough to find a better reason to splurge on fabric. Your craft stash grows, and so does somebody’s confidence.

Fabric Lovers Should Clear Their Afternoon

Fabric might be the star of the show here. The shelves can hold quilting cotton, upholstery remnants, apparel wool, silks, brocades, and Ankara prints.

Since everything comes from donations, the mix keeps shifting. One trip might bring a dreamy linen, and the next could offer bold vintage patterns.

Quilters have plenty to explore. Unfinished quilt blocks sometimes show up too, which is like finding a project already halfway done.

Notions fill in the gaps nicely. Look for zippers, buttons, thread, beads, and needles, often sorted so you aren’t digging forever.

Sewists making clothes, bags, or hats can find unusual prints that big chain stores rarely carry. That’s half the fun of a reuse shop.

Here’s a smart move before you go. Measure your project and jot down yardage needs, because remnants come in many sizes.

Also, buy what you love when you see it. A specific print probably won’t be there next week, and regret is a terrible sewing partner.

Bring a tote bag if you plan to stock up. Fabric adds up fast, especially when the prices make every bolt look tempting.

Yarn, Paper, Paint, And A Whole Lot More

Knitters, scrapbookers, and painters all get their own corners at Smart Art + Craft Supplies. The variety is honestly a little wild.

Yarn is a major draw, along with knitting and crochet supplies. Scrapbooking paper, rubber stamps, markers, pencils, and paint round out the paper and art side.

Framers and sign makers aren’t left out. Mat board, frames, plexiglass, and sign-making materials can turn up on the shelves.

Then come the fun surprises. Vintage media like records and film canisters sometimes appear, along with craft books and party supplies.

Gift wrap shows up too. That’s handy when you want your homemade present to look as good as it is.

The store also puts together premade craft kits. Some are designed for kids, which makes a rainy weekend a lot easier for parents.

My strategy would be a slow lap around the whole store first. Then circle back for the things that kept calling your name.

Leave room in the schedule. With this many categories, a quick stop can easily stretch into an afternoon of happy treasure hunting.

Somebody Actually Organized All This Glorious Chaos

Thrift shopping usually means digging through mystery piles. This store takes a different approach, and your patience will thank it.

Items at Smart Art + Craft Supplies are often sorted and labeled by craft type. Sewing, painting, scrapbooking, and fiber supplies each have logical homes.

That setup saves real time. You can head straight to the buttons instead of wandering past paint brushes three times.

Of course, a donation-based store never stays perfectly still. Popular areas like stamps and cardstock can get busy and messy during big shopping days.

Fresh stock arrives often as staff process new donations. The shelves you saw last month may look completely different this time.

That turnover is part of the appeal. It rewards return trips and keeps the browsing feeling fresh instead of repetitive.

A tip for first-timers: give yourself at least an hour. Organized or not, there’s a lot of ground to cover.

Bring a short list, but stay open-minded. Reuse stores work best when you treat them like an adventure, not a strict errand.

Fill A Basket And Watch The Magic Happen

Few sale names sound as exciting as Fill-a-Basket. The concept is gloriously simple: pack a basket for one set price.

Smart Art + Craft Supplies has hosted these events, and they’re as fun as they sound. Yarn and fabric fans especially love stuffing every inch.

Dollar Days have been another crowd-pleaser. During those sales, items were priced at a dollar or less.

Percentage-off sales pop up too. Combine those with already low prices, and the math starts looking almost silly.

Want to squeeze more value from every trip? Join the loyalty program, where members earn points for each dollar spent.

The program uses tiers with different point rates. Frequent shoppers climb higher and earn faster, which feels like a reward for good taste.

Gift cards are available both online and in the store. They make a sweet present for the crafter who already owns everything except more yarn.

Watch the store’s social media for sale dates. Planning around a big event could turn a good haul into a legendary one.

Learn Something New From Local Artists

Shopping is only part of the fun. The store also hosts a lively variety of affordable art classes.

Local artists lead these sessions. That means you learn from people in the Nashville creative scene, not from a generic video.

Classes are a great way to test a new hobby. You can try a craft before investing in a whole closet of supplies.

And if you fall in love with it? Well, the shelves right outside the classroom area happen to be full of cheap materials.

Topics change over time, so check the schedule before planning a trip. Popular sessions may fill up, so signing up early is wise.

I think classes also make a solid group outing. Friends, couples, or parents with older kids can create something together and take it home.

Out-of-town visitors might even plan a trip around a class. Pair it with shopping, and the drive feels completely justified.

The bonus is that class fees support the same nonprofit mission. You leave with a new skill and a little extra goodwill.

Your Old Supplies Deserve A Second Life

Most crafters have a closet full of abandoned projects. Smart Art + Craft Supplies would happily take some of that off your hands.

The store practices creative reuse. Donated materials get diverted from landfills and passed along to artists, crafters, and teachers.

Accepted donations cover a lot of ground. Fabric, yarn, paint, and scrapbooking materials are welcome, along with more surprising items like old photos and maps.

Teachers can especially benefit from this system. Classroom projects get much easier when supplies cost a fraction of retail.

Donating also feeds the job program. Employees process incoming donations, so your old supplies literally create meaningful work.

A friendly suggestion before you drop things off: sort them a little. Clean, usable items help the team get them onto shelves faster.

Then reward yourself. Dropping off a box and leaving with a smaller bag of new treasures seems like a perfectly fair trade.

It’s a cycle that just makes sense. Less waste, happier crafters, and a stronger Tennessee community, all from a few forgotten skeins.

Plan Your Trip Around Music Valley

Finding the shop is the easy part. Smart Art + Craft Supplies sits at 2416 Music Valley Drive, Suite 106, Nashville, TN 37214.

It’s inside the Music Valley Village shopping center. Free parking is plentiful, which matters when you’re hauling home bags of fabric.

Hours run 10 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, doors open at noon and close at 5 PM.

Payment is simple too. The store takes major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, and Cash App, but personal checks aren’t accepted.

The neighbors make the trip even better. Music Valley Village includes Wicked Ollies, The Catio, Dashwood, Vinterest, and Jae’s Gem Mine.

Opry Mills is close by, and so is a Cracker Barrel. Need a snack break? Nashville Coffees serves coffee and sandwiches nearby.

The story started in June 2014 under the name SmART! Supplies. It became Smart Art + Craft Supplies in January 2020.

The store celebrated ten years in June 2024 and announced a 1,400-square-foot expansion. More room for supplies sounds like great news for every Tennessee crafter.