Welcome to AZ Bead Depot!
"The Friendliest Little Bead Store in the West!"
260 W. Apache Trail
Apache Junction, AZ 85120
480-983-5674
email: azbeaddepot@earthlink.net
NW corner of W. Apache Trail and N. Apache Trail
(No - it's not a mistake, it's where we are! Across the parking lot from the Good Apple)
STORE HOURS:
Monday thru Saturday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Sundays 12 noon to 5:00 pm
Celebrating our 1st Anniversary in the new store and 6 years in business!
Just as the Lost Dutchman did so long ago, you will find "treasure" in the foothills of the Superstition Mountains at AZ Bead Depot. Some of the treasures include semi-precious stones which can be found in Arizona, such as turquoise, amethyst, azurite, fluorite and malachite. We have gemstone beads ranging from A to Z - Amber to ruby Zoisite Other treasures include Swarovski crystal beads, freshwater and Biwa pearls. Our Czech bead inventory includes a variety of fire polished and seed beads. We have everything from the big 33/0 (pony beads with a large hole) to tiny 14/0. We have African trade beads from Ghana, including Christmas strands and antique "coffee" beads. In addition, we have seeds, tagua nut (also known as vegetable ivory) and bamboo beads from the Columbian Craft Connection. Beadweavers will find nearly 400 colors of Delicas, a small selection of Toho 15/0s as well as about a dozen colors of size 11/0 or 12/0 seed beads in the hard to find "old style" or "traditional" colors, such as greasy yellow. We recently got our first shipment of the highly desireable Bead Towers for seed bead storage. If you haven't seen one, c'mon in and check them out!
Nearly 3 years ago, we had the good fortune to acquire literally a TON of beads from an old AZ trading post. They were in 5 gallon buckets - about 35 buckets, each weighing between 60 and 75 lbs! They might not be what you would think of as "trading post style" beads, but they are vintage beads and as we open each container, we discover beautiful treasures. We have the first batch of these beads available for purchase and the second batch is waiting in the wings, with 14 more buckets still to be opened!
Shortly after that purchase, fortune smiled on us again. We acquired several hundred POUNDS (KILOS) of vintage Japanese and Czechoslovakian (they date back to the 1930's or 1940's) bugle beads and a small treasure trove of other unusual beads from all over the world. We have clay figurals and spindle whorls from Ecuador that are still being researched. The Czech and Japanese bugles are ready for purchase. We have added bone beads and hairpipe, too!
For those who do shows, we've added a line of displays, trays, inserts, price tags, carrying cases and other supplies that will make your show experience much easier. Some of these items would even be an attractive way to store or display your personal jewelry at home. We have cotton lined foil gift boxes and organza bags, too.
Want to learn how to bead? We offer classes in silversmithing, art clay silver (PMC), peyote stitch, Phillipine weave, beadweaving, kumihimo, wire wrapping and basic stringing/beading techniques. Basic beading techniques are taught on YOUR schedule, at YOUR convenience at no charge - as in FREE! (You do pay for materials, but you are welcome to bring in your own beads, findings and tools, regardless of where you got them!)
The store has dedicated classroom/workshop. We have a HUGE antique oak library table for beading classes AND we have FOUR torch stations and a jump ringer that you can rent to use in the store, so you don't have to spend the money to buy the equipment, until you are sure it's something you really want to do. You're always welcome to bring a project to work on in the classroom - provided we don't have a class going.
For updates on store happenings, check out the blog at azbeaddepot.blogspot.com and look for us on Facebook!
Check out the Classes page for information about our classes!
Don't forget the 2nd Annual "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" Contest!
As always, we provide FREE "Tech Support" with every purchase!
Apache Junction, AZ 85120
480-983-5674
email: azbeaddepot@earthlink.net
NW corner of W. Apache Trail and N. Apache Trail
(No - it's not a mistake, it's where we are! Across the parking lot from the Good Apple)
STORE HOURS:
Monday thru Saturday 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Sundays 12 noon to 5:00 pm
Celebrating our 1st Anniversary in the new store and 6 years in business!
Just as the Lost Dutchman did so long ago, you will find "treasure" in the foothills of the Superstition Mountains at AZ Bead Depot. Some of the treasures include semi-precious stones which can be found in Arizona, such as turquoise, amethyst, azurite, fluorite and malachite. We have gemstone beads ranging from A to Z - Amber to ruby Zoisite Other treasures include Swarovski crystal beads, freshwater and Biwa pearls. Our Czech bead inventory includes a variety of fire polished and seed beads. We have everything from the big 33/0 (pony beads with a large hole) to tiny 14/0. We have African trade beads from Ghana, including Christmas strands and antique "coffee" beads. In addition, we have seeds, tagua nut (also known as vegetable ivory) and bamboo beads from the Columbian Craft Connection. Beadweavers will find nearly 400 colors of Delicas, a small selection of Toho 15/0s as well as about a dozen colors of size 11/0 or 12/0 seed beads in the hard to find "old style" or "traditional" colors, such as greasy yellow. We recently got our first shipment of the highly desireable Bead Towers for seed bead storage. If you haven't seen one, c'mon in and check them out!
Nearly 3 years ago, we had the good fortune to acquire literally a TON of beads from an old AZ trading post. They were in 5 gallon buckets - about 35 buckets, each weighing between 60 and 75 lbs! They might not be what you would think of as "trading post style" beads, but they are vintage beads and as we open each container, we discover beautiful treasures. We have the first batch of these beads available for purchase and the second batch is waiting in the wings, with 14 more buckets still to be opened!
Shortly after that purchase, fortune smiled on us again. We acquired several hundred POUNDS (KILOS) of vintage Japanese and Czechoslovakian (they date back to the 1930's or 1940's) bugle beads and a small treasure trove of other unusual beads from all over the world. We have clay figurals and spindle whorls from Ecuador that are still being researched. The Czech and Japanese bugles are ready for purchase. We have added bone beads and hairpipe, too!
For those who do shows, we've added a line of displays, trays, inserts, price tags, carrying cases and other supplies that will make your show experience much easier. Some of these items would even be an attractive way to store or display your personal jewelry at home. We have cotton lined foil gift boxes and organza bags, too.
Want to learn how to bead? We offer classes in silversmithing, art clay silver (PMC), peyote stitch, Phillipine weave, beadweaving, kumihimo, wire wrapping and basic stringing/beading techniques. Basic beading techniques are taught on YOUR schedule, at YOUR convenience at no charge - as in FREE! (You do pay for materials, but you are welcome to bring in your own beads, findings and tools, regardless of where you got them!)
The store has dedicated classroom/workshop. We have a HUGE antique oak library table for beading classes AND we have FOUR torch stations and a jump ringer that you can rent to use in the store, so you don't have to spend the money to buy the equipment, until you are sure it's something you really want to do. You're always welcome to bring a project to work on in the classroom - provided we don't have a class going.
For updates on store happenings, check out the blog at azbeaddepot.blogspot.com and look for us on Facebook!
Check out the Classes page for information about our classes!
Don't forget the 2nd Annual "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" Contest!
As always, we provide FREE "Tech Support" with every purchase!
