With only a dollar in his pocket: Sam Flax and the American Dream:

Sam Flax was a person before he was a store. He came to America from Eastern Europe in 1898, when he was only seven years old.

To help raise money to bring over additional family members, he started his first job. It was at a small stationery store, where he learned how to run a retail business, and soon he opened his own art supply store in New York City. This was during the Great Depression, nevertheless, he built a successful business.

Sam shared his success with his three older brothers, and their children, helping them to open their own independent stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

His customers loved him. Norman Rockwell and Zero Mostel were poor kids trying to make a name for themselves in the art world. They had almost no money for supplies, but Sam told them, "Take what you need, and pay me when you can." They did—and they paid him too.

Even today customers from way back tell us stories of how Sam helped someone they knew, some of them artists, some of them new vendors just getting their start.

After World War II, his sons Sidney and Leonard got into the business, and later, another son, David, did as well.

Sam Flax died in 1963, and his sons have continued his commitment to treating customers well and bringing them unique and interesting products. They continue to grow the business and expand the selection, adding more high design and high quality items that artists and creative folks of all kinds appreciate.

Flax was the first to offer a fine writing instrument department. Before, only stationery stores offered fountain pens and other writing tools. Flax was also the first to import French presentation products, European drafting furniture and German gas lift chairs with five-prong bases.

Today, Sam Flax South has stores in Atlanta and Orlando, where patrons enjoy a huge variety of art supplies, unique papers, promotional products, custom framing, boutique gifts, computer supplies and studio furniture. We carry on in Sam’s shoes, providing our customers excellent service, knowledgeable staff, fair prices, a creative store environment and unique and interesting products.