The Beading Frenzy is an owner-operated beadstore situated in the heart of downtown San Mateo. Parking, both in the free lot next to the store and at inexpensive meters along the street, is usually readily available.

Our mission (in addition to paying the bills) is twofold: to promote the many fine artists that comprise the beading community and to support your development as an artist and as a designer.

To this end we offer a full schedule of classes taught by some of the premiere bead artists in the country. In these classes, you won't be learning to make jewelry -- or vessels, or purses, or spirit dolls --that you can find at the local department store. You will be creating highly original works of art. Although the projects are sophisticated, the classes are small with plenty of individual attention. Therefore most classes are appropriate for beaders of all skill levels. Whether you work primarily with lampwork beads, pearls, Bali silver, seed beads, Austrian crystal, wire, metal, polymer clay, or all these, you will find a class that interests you. You will also find a warm welcome into a community of serious beaders.

In addition to classes, we specialize in handmade lampwork focal beads, vintage Czech and German glass beads and buttons, and in Japanese seed beads. (We have all sizes, shapes, and colors of seed beads.) We also offer a fine selection of books devoted to contemporary beadwork and to the cultural and spiritual significance of beads throughout history.