Meininger Art Supply
Meininger Art Supply is a privately held, Denver-based fine art materials retailer founded in 1881. It sells a comprehensive catalog of art supplies through two Colorado retail stores and an e-commerce site serving the continental United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1881
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Meininger Art Supply does
H.R. Meininger Co., doing business as Meininger Art Supply, is a privately held fine art materials retailer founded in 1881 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The company operates two physical retail storefronts — at 499 Broadway in Denver and 814 S Tejon Street in Colorado Springs — alongside a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site at meininger.com built on the BigCommerce platform. Distribution is confined to the continental United States; international shipping is explicitly not offered, and online orders over $300 qualify for free standard shipping. The company has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no private equity or venture capital investment, and no disclosed M&A or ownership changes in the available record.
The core product is a deep, multi-category catalog of art supplies. Merchandise spans paints (oil, acrylic — including full Golden Artist Colors variants — watercolor, gouache, aerosol, encaustic, mediums, solvents, varnishes), drawing materials (crayons, pens, pencils including mechanical and watercolor, ink, charcoal, graphite, markers, pastels), craft supplies (sign painting, textiles, leather, Ukrainian egg decorating), sculpture and 3D (clay, mold making, ceramics, carving, woodworking), printmaking (presses, etching, screen printing, block printing), surfaces (canvas, paper, boards, pads, panels, rolls, sketchbooks), brushes (acrylic, oil, watercolor including Winsor & Newton Series 7, Princeton professional lines), fine pens (Benu, Kaweco, Lamy, Esterbrook), studio and office supplies, easels and studio furniture, presentation/framing, photography (Fujifilm Instax, Polaroid), children's products, and curated feature lines such as Buddha Board and New Wave POSH palettes. Featured brands include Strathmore, Princeton, Golden Artist Colors, Winsor & Newton, Faber-Castell, Pentel Arts, Speedball, Liquitex, Gamblin, and 3M. Pricing is unit-based across a wide range — sharpeners from $1.69 to specialist easels and pochade boxes above $200 — with tiered shipping fees and pay-as-you-go billing cadence.
The company serves three customer segments. The primary segment is individual artists, hobbyists, and creators purchasing for personal use. The secondary segments are K-12 through university students, and educational institutions that procure in bulk. A dedicated sub-brand, Meininger Class Kits, supplies customized art-supply kits to institutional customers including the Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens' School of Botanical Art & Illustration, Front Range Community College, Red Rocks Community College, Regis University, and the University of Colorado Denver. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time retail sales via the two Colorado storefronts and the e-commerce site. The operating technology is conventional small-business e-commerce stack with no disclosed AI, data, or proprietary platform components.
Meininger Art Supply firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Meininger Art Supply
- Legal name
- H.R. Meininger Co.
- Website
- https://meininger.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1881
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Meininger Art Supply is a privately held, Denver-based fine art materials retailer founded in 1881. It sells a comprehensive catalog of art supplies through two Colorado retail stores and an e-commerce site serving the continental United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Meininger Art Supply is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Meininger Art Supply business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Art Supplies Sales: Revenue generated through the sale of art supplies including paints, brushes, canvases, paper, pencils, pens, craft materials, and studio equipment. Sales occur through both physical retail locations and online store.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tiered shipping based on order total |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Product pricing varies by item |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Meininger Art Supply product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Retail sale of fine art materials, including paints, brushes, drawing supplies, pencils, pens, ink, charcoal, surfaces (canvas, paper, boards), sculpture and 3D materials, printmaking supplies, craft materials, easels, presentation supplies, and photography products. Operates two Colorado retail showrooms in Denver and Colorado Springs alongside a comprehensive e-commerce website that ships across the continental United States.
Product overview
Meininger Art Supply (H.R. Meininger Co.) is a fine art materials retailer established in 1881, operating physical stores in Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado, plus an e-commerce platform. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of art supplies organized into major categories: Paint (including Oil, Acrylic with Golden brand variants, Watercolor, Gouache, Aerosol, Mediums, Encaustic), Drawing (Pencils, Pens, Charcoal, Ink, Markers, Pastels), Craft (Sign Painting, Textiles, Ukrainian Egg Decorating), Sculpture and 3D (Clay, Mold Making, Ceramics, Carving), Printmaking (Presses, Etching, Screen Printing, Block Printing), Surfaces (Canvas, Paper, Boards, Pads, Sketchbooks), Brushes (Professional, Watercolor, Oil, Acrylic), Fine Pens (Fountain, Technical, Calligraphy), Studio Supplies (Adhesives, Tapes, Tools, Storage), Easels, Presentation (Framing, Mat Cutters), Photography (Fujifilm Instax, Polaroid), Kids products, and Class Kits for educational institutions. The store carries numerous brands including Strathmore, Princeton, Golden Artist Colors, Winsor & Newton, Faber-Castell, Pentel Arts, Speedball, and 3M. Key proprietary or featured products include Buddha Board (water-evaporating meditation art surfaces in Original and Mini sizes), New Wave POSH palettes (tempered glass and Amish-crafted wood palettes for studio use), Foamcore Boards, specialty Charcoal and Ink products, and Liquitex pouring media sets. The company also offers custom Class Kits for cultural institutions and educational partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Meininger Class Kits: Custom art supply kits created for educational institutions including Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Front Range Community College, Red Rocks Community College, Regis University, and UC of Denver.
Products and services
- Paint Products Comprehensive paint selection covering pigments, pastels, oil, acrylic (including Golden Fluid, Heavy Body, High Flow, and SoFlat lines), watercolor, aerosol, gouache, mediums, solvents, varnishes, airbrush, and encaustic materials for individual artists and art programs.
- Drawing Products Drawing supplies including crayons, drafting tools, pastels, erasers, pens (ballpoint, brush, fountain, calligraphy, technical), pencils (color, graphite, watercolor, mechanical), ink, charcoal, graphite, and markers for artists, students, and hobbyists.
- Craft Products Craft supplies including stylus, marbling, sign painting, textiles, leather, sanding supplies, and Ukrainian egg decorating materials (books, dyes, kits, materials, tools) for hobbyists and craft artists.
- Sculpture and 3D Products 3D art supplies including clay, tools, mold making, scale model building, ceramics (clay, wax), carving, woodworking, and general sculpture materials for sculptors and model builders.
- Printmaking Products Printmaking supplies including modifiers, presses, block printing, etching, gel printing, screen printing, and tools (barens, brayers, gouges, squeegees) for printmakers.
- Surfaces Products Art surfaces including canvas (studio, gallery, deep, by-the-foot, stretcher bars), paper (pastel, printmaking, drawing, watercolor, oil, bristol, cards, specialty), pads, panels, boards (Ampersand, cardboard, illustration, Grafix, foam, mat), rolls, sketchbooks, notebooks, and acetate/Mylar/film.
- Brushes Art brushes for acrylic, oil, watercolor (including Winsor & Newton Series 7), foam, chip, professional (Princeton), soft, hake, ink and water, plus brush sets for painters across all media.
- Fine Pens Premium pens including Benu, Kaweco, Retro-51, Lamy, Esterbrook, Sheaffer, Space Pen, and Pentel, plus bottled inks (Colorverse, Diamine, Herbin, Pelikan, Sailor, Krishna, TWSBI), refills, accessories, and cleaners for pen enthusiasts and calligraphers.
- Studio and Office Supplies Studio essentials including color wheels, fixatives, storage (bags, containers, draw storage, drafting storage), adhesives (3M, Aleene's, Elmer's, Gorilla Glue, Beacon, Mod Podge, spray adhesives), tools, and tapes for working artists.
- Easels and Studio Furniture Easel options including studio easels (BEST, Mabef) and plein air easels (Guerilla Painter, New Wave u.go), plus studio lighting for working artists.
- Presentation Products Art presentation supplies including backing and mounting (Crescent), framing and hanging hardware, mat cutters, portfolios, and picture frames for finished artwork.
- Photography Products Instant photography including Fujifilm Instax (cameras, film, accessories) and Polaroid (cameras, film, accessories) for hobbyist and creative photographers.
- Kids and Introductory Products Children's art supplies including activities, dark arts, stickers, color wheels, Crayola, Faber-Castell, Strathmore Kids, CrayPas, and Stabilo products for young artists and beginners.
- Meininger Class Kits Curated, custom-assembled art supply kits for educational institutions and cultural programs including Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens SBAI, Front Range Community College, Red Rocks Community College, Regis University, and University of Colorado Denver.
- Gift Cards Gift certificates and gift cards redeemable for Meininger Art Supply products online and in-store.
- Buddha Board Original Water-based art surface that creates watercolor-like paintings; the water evaporates leaving a clean slate for repeated use, designed for meditation and mindfulness practice.
- New Wave POSH Table Top Palette (Wood and Glass Collections) Handcrafted Amish wood and tempered glass palettes in multiple sizes (large, small, 9x12, 12x16) and finishes (gray, white, clear, natural stain) for studio painting with all paint media, featuring furniture-grade maple or solvent-resistant glass and custom silicone footings.
- Foamcore Boards (White and Black) Rigid polystyrene foam boards with white or black paper surfaces in standard framing, mounting, and presentation sizes (3/16" white and 1/2" black variants).
Companies that use Meininger Art Supply
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Meininger Art Supply technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Meininger Art Supply partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Denver Art MuseumcoreMeininger provides customized class kits specifically designed for the Denver Art Museum's educational programs and workshops.
- Denver Botanic Gardens SBAIcorePartnership for the School of Botanical Art & Illustration, providing specialized art supply kits for botanical illustration classes.
- Front Range Community College (FRCC)minorProvides customized class supply kits for FRCC art students.
- Red Rocks Community College (RRCC)minorProvides customized class supply kits for RRCC art students.
- Regis UniversityminorProvides customized class supply kits for Regis University art students.
- University of Colorado DenverminorProvides customized class supply kits for UC Denver art students.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Meininger Art Supply competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Blick Art Materials (Dick Blick): Largest U.S. specialty art supply retailer operating a nationwide chain of retail stores plus a comprehensive e-commerce platform. Directly comparable to Meininger as a multi-category fine art materials retailer, but at materially larger scale and geographic reach.
- Michaels Companies: Largest U.S. specialty retailer of arts, crafts, and framing products with more than 1,000 stores. Comparable to Meininger as a multi-category arts and crafts retailer, though skewed more toward mass-market and craft/hobby customers than fine-art professionals.
- Hobby Lobby: National arts-and-crafts and home décor retailer with ~1,000 U.S. stores carrying paints, brushes, canvas, and craft supplies. Comparable to Meininger at the craft-supply and general-arts overlap, but not focused on professional fine-art materials.
- Amazon: Dominant online marketplace that carries most major art supply brands and competes with Meininger on pricing, selection, and shipping speed for commodity art materials across the continental U.S.
Direct peers
- Jerry's Artarama: Multi-channel U.S. art supply retailer serving professional artists, students, and hobbyists through retail stores and a large e-commerce catalog spanning paints, drawing, surfaces, brushes, and printmaking — overlapping directly with Meininger's category mix.
- Utrecht Art Supplies: Long-established U.S. art supplies retailer (founded 1949) historically known for professional-grade paints, brushes, and canvases sold through retail stores and online. Closely comparable to Meininger in heritage, professional-artist orientation, and category breadth.
- Cheap Joe's Art Stuff: North Carolina-based independent art supply retailer selling paints, drawing materials, canvas, and studio supplies via catalog, e-commerce, and a flagship store. Comparable to Meininger as a privately held, customer-service-oriented specialty art retailer serving both professional and hobbyist segments.
- Artist & Craftsman Supply: Specialty art supply retailer operating stores across multiple U.S. states (including Colorado) plus an online store. Directly comparable to Meininger in store-based retail of fine art materials and in overlapping Colorado geography.
- Plaza Art: Mid-Atlantic specialty art supply retailer with stores and an online store selling professional paints, brushes, surfaces, and studio supplies. Comparable to Meininger in category mix, professional customer orientation, and multi-store plus e-commerce model.
Regional players
- Phoenix Art Supplies: Regional fine art supply retailer based in the western U.S. carrying professional-grade paints, drawing, and printmaking supplies. Comparable to Meininger in assortment and customer type, though serving a different metropolitan footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Meininger Art Supply social profiles
Digital presenceMeininger Art Supply financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Meininger Art Supply leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Meininger Art Supply funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Meininger Art Supply M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Meininger Art Supply
What does Meininger Art Supply do?
Retail sale of fine art materials, including paints, brushes, drawing supplies, pencils, pens, ink, charcoal, surfaces (canvas, paper, boards), sculpture and 3D materials, printmaking supplies, craft materials, easels, presentation supplies, and photography products. Operates two Colorado retail showrooms in Denver and Colorado Springs alongside a comprehensive e-commerce website that ships across the continental United States.
Is Meininger Art Supply a public or private company?
Meininger Art Supply is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Meininger Art Supply founded?
Meininger Art Supply was founded in 1881. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Meininger Art Supply based?
Meininger Art Supply is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Meininger Art Supply make money?
One revenue line is on record: retail Art Supplies Sales.
Who are Meininger Art Supply's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Blick Art Materials (Dick Blick), Michaels Companies, Hobby Lobby and Amazon. Direct peers are Jerry's Artarama, Utrecht Art Supplies, Cheap Joe's Art Stuff, Artist & Craftsman Supply and Plaza Art. Phoenix Art Supplies is listed as a regional player.
Does Meininger Art Supply have an API?
No public API is recorded for Meininger Art Supply.