Is custom framing business shrinking or just being done differently?

Whynot

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Dec 16, 2000
Posts
1,277
Loc
North-East US
Over ten years ago I was mesmerized at grasping what a huge frame market entire Manhattan was. It seemed as if every block had its own framing store. In one instant, looking to pinpoint potential clients, I gathered a list of some one hundred eighty frame shops and galleries in Manhattan alone. Time has changed frame business’ face and today not only that Munn, Salazar (I’m not sure of Lopez) are being history but a plethora of galleries and framing shops ranging from high to humble scale are gone with the wind as well. New York Frame Show has mirrored this very trend which is not confined nor specific to The Apple City alone.
On the other hand, though less conspicuous and meaningful (foretelling), The Grumble’s cast too is much different from what it used to be five years ago when I first entered this forum.
What we are witnessing in here is definitely more than just natural frame business casualties and demographics. But what exactly is it going on then? What are the name and the future of that illness that has implacably afflicted our industry? What was exactly that Jay Goltz told you about his now famous inevitably 30% shrinkage of framers’ population at a national scale? Is custom framing business shrinking or just being done differently?
 
I have a feeling that there is a general "shake-out" evolving where those who fail to realize and practice framing as a business are being taught the hard lesson of failure.
 
I tend to think the market in my area has actually grown, but is much more diverse. Back in the '60s in the mid-size Indiana town of South Bend there were only two truly custom frame shops. In the late 60's early 70's, several more independents opened, and for the most part, closed after about a decade.

I believe the chains started coming in in the 80's and the big boxes in the 90's. Now, I open the yellow pages and counted 32 custom framers advertising locally.

At one point in time (1963?)in our relatively small podunk we hit close to a million dollars sales year in custom framing from one downtown location and that was in 1963 dollars!

When you spread the relatively small market of the region around to 32 shops + big boxes and account for the steady but slow growth of the population in the region, you have to believe the market has grown or we'll be seeing many of these shops closing.

I guess time will tell. I'm operating as a one man shop now in a small town and decided not to spend much at all on advertising because I have about all the work I can handle and, for now, want to remain a one man show.

It sounds like the market in Manhattan may have gone through a consolidation where northern Indiana went through a diversification. Did the remaining framers in Manhattan experience rapid growth over these last ten years or did the market actually shrink?

Maybe there has been a growth in the number of custom frame shops in outlying areas where ten years ago when you wanted something custom framed you would go into the city.


Dave Makielski
 
Hi Dave

I agree with most of what has been said!~
I would tell you all to take a good hard look at these industries. Dave you know what I mean!~

Art materials!~
Lumber yards!~
Hardware store!~
Art Materials dealers!~
Hobby shops!~
Independent Craft shops!~
Independent clothing stores!~
Tailor shops!~

They all have these things in common
Computers, BB/Chains stores, Imports and almost extinct!~

Never say Never!~

Dave want to buy some letraset?~ LOL
Take what you want and leave the rest!~
 
In the late 60s, I worked for a guy in our small town and the "company" was Mongomery Wards, out front, Harrison House of Music through the side door and TV & HiFi repair as well as making custom recorded 8-track tapes, through the back door.

Bills take on the changing world was, that he would see the demise of all of his businesses. He died two years shy of Monkey Wards...

His grandfather had been a Professional Buggy Whip maker at the age of 8. Then taught leather work to shoemakers.

Amazingly James, you would find that there is a growth in Hardware Stores.... and it is spurred on by Home Depot and Lowes. People will stand in long lines and take three hours for the big stuff, but go 8 times on a Saturday for all the little things that they only need one or three of.

According to Montavilla Sewing Center manager and third generation owner... sewing and quilting is more in vogue now than in the past 40 years. Go figure.
 
And when was the last time you saw a strong arts program in public schools, or a thriving high school orchestra, or a metropolitan symphony with black ink (on something other than their score sheets), a new community theatre (doing something besides Neil Simon), and an good NEA operation, or NPR and PBS not controlled by congressional side-kicks.....

We get the government (and art programs) that we deserve.

(Can comeone help me off this soapbox?
shutup.gif
)
 
Matoaka, come on up to Portland. We have art magnet schools, a symphany that is getting a new whole theatre so we can expand the opera program. Our PBS (OPB) is 100% public and business donation sponsored, nothing from the US Gov since 1987.

And we have the shortest school year in the nation and ranked 3 behind Mississippi. But we ARE the capital of interpretive dance...(strip joints).

We have the amazing standing of one of the oldest parades that no local HS has qualified to be in for the last 15 years.
 
Baer... Aaaahhhh, the enlightened Pacific Northwest. My old stompin' grounds. I've got a sister in Portland who loves her art collection. Let me know the name of your shop and I'll send you her business.

Louie, Louie still stirs my blood. :cool:
 
"Amazingly James, you would find that there is a growth in Hardware Stores...."

Here in little ole Owensboro, we have just had 2 independent computer stores open in the last year and a half. They are both in very aggressive locations. It will be interesting to see how they do. I wish them well.
 
Yes Baer there are pockets of growth!~ Exempt is the midwest!~ Where the Chains are feasting!~

Is that growth in the independent hardware stores or just the industry it self?

Where the heck is Louie Louie located?
 
James, the growth is in the indie hardware stores. Usually in exsisting store, some new.
If you look long and hard at HD and Slows, you will see that their growth is in opening new stores.. their growth is exsisting stores open longer than 10 years is abismal.

Louie Louie, was written in the next block. The drummer of the Kingsman used to be part of my brother-in-laws HS band...

NE section of Portland, OR.

Jay, as Best Buy continues to expand and computers get more and more twitchy, the independent stores that ACTUALLY service computers instore/on-site have grown.
Enough that Best Buy started their own division of geeks (Geek Squad), who will come out and service your box while you watch the meter whiz at about $80/hr
So the indie Tech-Guru will have a place that allows him to work hard as he wants and set his hours and still make a nice $30-$50/hr.

My techie, charges $30/hr and stops work at $1000/wk. He built me a new computer, and I get free what-ever for the first year.
Best Buy can't compete with that.

Same as Michael's or JoAnne's can't turn around a custom frame job in a day.
 
interesting topic,

I am im a Medium sized Tri city area. In the one city I am in there are 6 frames shops. 2 of them BB's. I do a small business compared to some of you, but It is perfect for me, a one person with part time help.
But I do wonder what the future of framing is going to be. Have any of you notice less preframed art in any of retail stores or is it just me. I don't mean furniture stores, just stores like Kirkland and JCPenneys?

Any way, we have had several frame shops go out of business since I have opened 5 years ago.
But the number of business open at the same time are about the same. Wonder what that means. Just a shift in customers I guess.
shrug.gif


I just hope the tide turns back to the early 90's when framing really took off. Oh Well, I'll just keep framing untill someone tells me to stop.

Jennifer
 
This would be a great time for Bob to poke his nose in from Italy. I'm sure he has study info that would verify your observation.

I seem to remember a comment once about that 80% of this industries small shops are started and finished within 11 years. To be replaced by another and another.

We know that in Portland, of the 39 framers, less than 6 were around 20 years ago.
 
Being involved in a small family run art materials AND custom frame shop all I can say is OUCH! Hope I'm still here next year this time to see how this thread is going. That and as a huge fan of the Toots Hibbet version of Louie Louie I finally had to check out the story. You can find it @ http://www.louielouie.net/06-history.htm
 
I believe I read a few years ago that a very large percentage of independent frame shop owners were over 50, with many over 60. And, according to recent PPFA survey I read more and more people are getting custom framing from the chains...though they still like the independents for the nicer stuff. (not a quote!)

So, unless we can sell the glories and responsibilities of owning your own business to the new Framers out there, more and more with Certified Chain Store Framing Credentials....well, you get the picture, we are a retiring breed.
 
"If you look long and hard at HD and Slows, you will see that their growth is in opening new stores.. their growth is exsisting stores open longer than 10 years is abismal."

One thought comes to mind. That is if they open a huge megga store and take 40% of the existing market share in the first year, how much more can they possibly grow in the next 5 and do they really need to? Isn't that just speculation anyway?

Lowe's and Wal-Mart just remodeled their older stores. I wouldn't think you would do that at a location without plenty of promise.

As far as Target vs. Wal-Mart all I know is that we have both here. Yesterday Wal-Mart just opened a second one. Its the largest one in KY....weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I might call them and tell them that their business plan if flawed. Apparently nobody has told them yet.
 
Back
Top