USA Chicago airbrush Midwest airbrush?

Let me be the first to say Thank you Sol for posting about Chicago airbrush,As the new owner We know you will have a harder time Righting the wrongs of the pre. owner. Hope it all works out for you
 
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Well my experience was pretty good with them, they were semi local so i could get stuff quick. So Sol it appears you have a hand in this game, I hope you do well and look forward to hearing good things.
 
@Sol I'd like to visit your store . I'm in Chicago do you have a storefront or is it only online.

According to his website you can only make a store visit by appointment:( by my reckoning if you can't just walk in to a store off the street when it suits you during normal business hours, then it isn't a shop at all, this system suggests to me also that there isn't always someone there meaning it probably isn't a full time venture.

While still living in Holland I travelled 1 hour and fifteen minutes to visit a shop who's opening hours were clear on their website, when I got there at 13:45 pm the shop was closed, another disappointed customer who was parked there told me that because it was quiet that day the owner just shut up shop for the day:mad: I bought a load of gear elsewhere and emailed the fool the invoice just show him what that decision cost him, no way at all to run a business.

I have a tendency to shop on impulse so I avoid shops that have no staff other than the owner, it seems to be a common practice to just close up when business is slow.
 
I have heard of companies that are primarily online stores, but you are welcome to make an appointment to visit their physical location and I assume be able to purchase products. Since they are not primarily a retail store, it makes sense that they require an appointment. You can't really expect someone to sit around on the clock for the occassional customer once a week... or month...
 
I have heard of companies that are primarily online stores, but you are welcome to make an appointment to visit their physical location and I assume be able to purchase products. Since they are not primarily a retail store, it makes sense that they require an appointment. You can't really expect someone to sit around on the clock for the occassional customer once a week... or month...

I agree but the appointment system doesn't work for everyone, I wouldn't expect any vendor to sit round the clock on the off chance that I might pop by, but as I said I shop on impulse and will only visit shops that manned all day, even if the shop only opens two days a week, I like to see what I'm buying and if it's expensive I also want to see it work, I do occasionally buy online but only from documented trusted sources, in Holland I woykd never have bought an airbrush from anyone other than Foxy or Lion Art who are both members here and have astounding reviews, I don't buying elsewhere, just not on line and definitely not when they say I can, the customer is alwats right and if I want something right now I'll get right now no matter where I have to go to get it, but that's just me.

My main point above is that Sol has taken over a decidedly dodgy business, naturally people are wary, my view is his best chance of success and rebuilding trust for the time being is to man the shop and allow normal visiting instead of an arranged warehouse tour, when people can see and feel what he has to offer as well as buy it he'll soon build up that trust, I can't see many buying online from him yet.
 
Let me be the first to say Thank you Sol for posting about Chicago airbrush,As the new owner We know you will have a harder time Righting the wrongs of the pre. owner. Hope it all works out for you
Thank you, appreciated.
 
@Sol I'd like to visit your store . I'm in Chicago do you have a storefront or is it only online.
Yes, we do retail at 3323 W Diversey Ave. We have by appointment only hours for now until we get bigger. It's been good for people in airbrush emergency situations!
 
I agree but the appointment system doesn't work for everyone, I wouldn't expect any vendor to sit round the clock on the off chance that I might pop by, but as I said I shop on impulse and will only visit shops that manned all day, even if the shop only opens two days a week, I like to see what I'm buying and if it's expensive I also want to see it work, I do occasionally buy online but only from documented trusted sources, in Holland I woykd never have bought an airbrush from anyone other than Foxy or Lion Art who are both members here and have astounding reviews, I don't buying elsewhere, just not on line and definitely not when they say I can, the customer is alwats right and if I want something right now I'll get right now no matter where I have to go to get it, but that's just me.

My main point above is that Sol has taken over a decidedly dodgy business, naturally people are wary, my view is his best chance of success and rebuilding trust for the time being is to man the shop and allow normal visiting instead of an arranged warehouse tour, when people can see and feel what he has to offer as well as buy it he'll soon build up that trust, I can't see many buying online from him yet.
I couldn't agree more. With retail you can also learn a lot about new products and techniques from your walk in customers. It's definitely something that we will have in the future (maybe even a month or two) we're just taking it step by step. I also want to have space for workshops as I have has a lot of experience putting those together.
 
I couldn't agree more. With retail you can also learn a lot about new products and techniques from your walk in customers. It's definitely something that we will have in the future (maybe even a month or two) we're just taking it step by step. I also want to have space for workshops as I have has a lot of experience putting those together.

I just feel that if you can get face to face public into your premises you be able to disperse the black cloud left by your previous employer, people who were burned were burned making online purchases so they will be afraid to do that again, when they are able make purchases in person they will know instantly how genuine your intentions are and subsequently less afraid.
 
I have heard of companies that are primarily online stores, but you are welcome to make an appointment to visit their physical location and I assume be able to purchase products. Since they are not primarily a retail store, it makes sense that they require an appointment. You can't really expect someone to sit around on the clock for the occassional customer once a week... or month...
I've actually had up to 5 appointments in a day. Lately it's been a lot for body paint. Body painting is often a need-it-now situation.
 
I just feel that if you can get face to face public into your premises you be able to disperse the black cloud left by your previous employer, people who were burned were burned making online purchases so they will be afraid to do that again, when they are able make purchases in person they will know instantly how genuine your intentions are and subsequently less afraid.
Sure, and we will get there. Just prioritizing building up plenty of inventory first and our online game perfected.
 
Sure, and we will get there. Just prioritizing building up plenty of inventory first and our online game perfected.
Do you carry Ben Nye paint? The mehron tends to clog smaller nozzle airbrushes . I saw the pictures online but didn't see all the paint you carry.
 
Do you carry Ben Nye paint? The mehron tends to clog smaller nozzle airbrushes . I saw the pictures online but didn't see all the paint you carry.
I don't have that one. I have Mehron Lux, Liquid Makeup and Paradise, ProAiir Hybrid, some ProAiir Ink, Artool Body of Art, some EBA Dura, Paasche Temp Tattoo Ink and Temptu SB. Is it the Lux or the Liquid Makeup giving you trouble?
 
I personally like Chicago and only had intermittent issues with them. Usually delayed shipping. Never paid for something I didn't get but I stopped ordering when things were going south.

Coast is amazing and does a ton for the hobby. However, they rarely have sales on paint and supplies and pillage and plunder me on shipping when Chicago (same distance if not further) never did. They always had more reasonable shipping costs. When I need some stuff I would be will try try and see how this "new" company does.
 
I now understand that Chicago Airbrush Supply crashed, and this sort of thing is unintentional and unfortunate. I did a lot of business with them ($thousands over a the years).

However, Chicago Airbrush Supply went under with about $300 in unfulfilled backorders of mine (order originally placed early February 2017), without even a note on their website to let customers know they had ceased operations (much less a more relevant form of apology). I always suspected, but now I actually know why all my emails and voice messages went unanswered. Unfortunately, Chapter 11 means I would need to get in line for a refund, with a very small chance of receiving a penny.

Yes, now I know what happened... but in future, I will be avoiding any/all individuals/enterprises even remotely associated with Chicago Airbrush Supply, for any reason (much less for backordered stuff). The $300 is less of an issue than the time/effort I put into trying to reach them... which they could have spared me (any anyone else in my situation) with 90 seconds worth of text entry on their website.

I can highly recommend Coast Airbrush and Blick's Art Supplies (Blick's is the only USA source for anything even remotely resembling the complete line of Schmincke Aero Colors). Texas Art Supplies managed a complicated special order for me with a great deal of courtesy and competence, but I have done very little business with them outside of this (Blick's website is easier to use, Coast's selection of airbrush-specific stuff is unparalleled). I can somewhat recommend Dixie Art & Airbrush, apparently now one-and-the same with their "parent" company, Dixie Art Supplies (though several orders were incorrectly/incompletely filled, in each case they quickly rectified the matter, but it required additional effort/delay to get things straight).

Thanks to everyone who posted here, it helps to clarify why Chicago Airbrush Supply went dark suddenly.
 
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