JAG ArtWorks: Everett's Home for Culture

Jason Grim, owner of JAG ArtWorks, has always been an artist. He just never thought he'd be running an art supply store.

Located at 2940 Colby Ave, JAG (which stands for Jason Andrew Grim) stocks both street art (spray cans, paint pens) and fine art (brushes, oil and watercolor paints) supplies, as well as a healthy selection of local music. It's a catch-all of Everett culture under one roof.

Grim first started creating art in high school in Los Angeles, and got into the street art scene by being surrounded by graffiti artists.

"It was the whole scene. It was L.A. I grew up in a nicer area but there was two major gangs so there was always gang influence all of the time. But I still liked that whole (art) scene ... I wasn't really into rap music that much but I was definitely surrounded by people who listened to it a whole lot and went out and tagged," Grim said.

"I always really liked watching them sketch in their sketchbooks and do their lettering. It was fascinating to me seeing that type of stuff."

After settling down after high school and losing touch with his art, Grim picked up his craft again after moving to Everett and getting involved in the arts community.

He started thinking about what Everett needed business-wise — a breakfast spot, a sandwich shop... but Grim was hoping an art supply store would be someone else's passion.

"I kept putting it out there that we need an art supply store," Grim said, "but that's not what I wanted to do."

The push that set JAG in motion was from Isabella Valencia, owner of Black Lab Gallery, The Rock artists studios (where JAG is located) and the soon-to-be-opening music venue The Rockitt (located in the old Tailgater's building).

"She kept putting this bug in my ear. It just started resonating in my mind like 'Maybe I should take one of those rooms, but what can I do with it?'" Grim said. "It came into my mind to do a graffiti art store."

Grim said he knew that being surrounded by artists in the lofts would help his initial opening, and the street art scene, while small, is starting to grow in Everett.

Sticker packs from local artists hanging in JAG. // Henry J

After opening upstairs in The Rock in March, Grim moved JAG to street level in June. With a bigger store came the idea to start selling local music after being welcomed to the art scene.

"I started listening to all of these local Everett bands and I was like 'They don't have their music anywhere.' I can't go out and buy a CD for TELLERS I can't go out and get a CD for Narrow Tarot and a bunch of different bands," Grim said.

"You have to go to their show ... but if you miss out on that, then what are you going to do?”

Grim said that the whole front section of his store is dedicated to music and apparel from local artists, including knit hats from fiber artists Whiskey Knits. Chapbooks from poets are soon to be stocked and sold at JAG.

The local music section in JAG. // Henry J

Grim hopes that JAG can continue to be an outpost for local art in its various forms, and hopes to one day host poetry readings and live music, but for now, Grim is happy supporting the arts community in Everett.

"If I was trying to just make a living off of this, I would not survive. The store barely breaks even," Grim said.

"I want people to come in as a community ... I want them all to come in and have a place where they can feel the community and feel what I felt when I got up to Everett and love it as much as I do."