wondering about small frame shops

Create a Post
BlueHorseStudios

BlueHorseStudios

Grumbler
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Posts
26
Loc
New Orleans
I know the term "small shop" is relative, but I'm guessing you know what I mean. Aside from owners, how many employees have you? Do you have high or low production? Also, roughly how many hours a week do you owners put in. I know their are many variable to this situation, location, economy,etc. I'm just curious about other shops.
 
4 employees: 2 full time, 2 part time. I could probably use 1 more part timer.
About 12 framing orders a day on average, 6 days a week.
I work 60ish hours a week on average. I could easily shave off some time from that if I wished.
 
We have 3 full timers, including myself, and 2 part timers. One is soon off for maternity (!) leave.
We take in approximately 20 orders per week. Useed to be more in the "Good Old Days."
Recently, I have cut everyone's work days by one hour per day, so they work 7 hours instead of eight. Just because the economy is so slow. Me included, though I've stayed extra to get some things done. We're going to try this for two months to see how things go. As in the economy. Once spring "officially" comes, things may ease up and we can go back to a full schedule.
Of course, when things ease up, we'll HAVE to, as we'll need the extra hours to complete all the work!
I could cut all my advertising too, to make things looser in the ol' bamk account, as this business is thirty years strong, but I am a firm believer in marketing, so I continue with the ads. Keep our name out there and get as many new clients as we can!

Wendy
The Art Corner
Salem, MA
 
It's me and a part-time assistant... we're effectively two part-timers. I had to take a part-time day job to keep a roof over our head. I'm limping it along as best I can until the economy picks up (thank goodness for cheap rent!). We average two orders a day these days, either printing or digital imaging...
 
It's just me and I'm open 5 days a week. March has been very very slow. I have very low overhead, so I can probably survive on the orders I have. I expect spring/summer to pick up, as a lot of people will return from Florida where they spend the winter months. And, lots more tourists too.
 
Owner and everything else, and I don't want any employees. I'm in my 3rd year. Sales currently less than where I would like but ahead of my plan to be in the second tier sales range ($50,000 to $100,000) by the end of year 5.

I spend more than 40 hours a week, but that includes education, improving my processes, skills, networking, etc.

Currently redoing my working area to have a separate cutting area so my finishing area remains very clean.
 
Welcome to the G.

I am full time, I have one other full time framer, and we get a student in the summer.

I used to have an additional part timer, but economy has had it's toll on our work load, so that position has been eliminated, at least for now.

As owner, I put in 4-5 full days per week, and an additional 5 hours per week at home. We are so seasonal around here that in the summer my hours increase by about 15 per week, and in the winter, decrease by 8 - 10.
 
Me myself and I here. I design with the customer, build the presentation, try my hand at marketing and also clean the restroom. Whew,,,,,
 
I'm a one man band. With the economy the way it has been I'm open six days a week now because I don't want to miss any customers that happen by on my usually closed Mondays. I'll meet a customer any time any where too as I only live five minutes from the shop.
 
2 here..wife up front, me in back ( so I don't scare customers away ) doing the work...we had 2 others, but had to lay off with the big downturn in the economy...March is so far we've had since 1999.
 
Me only, sometimes my wife helps with the books. 2008 was a bad year (my 4th in the business solo)I like to be alone,however, I have a lot of support from my former boss at my old job (frame shop.) In the future, I might use one more person to help out, and I don't want to get any bigger than that.
 
I'm the owner...and sole full time employee. My husband helps sometimes and I also have a girl who will work part time when needed.
I'm open 10-5 Monday thru Saturday and I don't have a clue what lunch is. So that's 42 hours a week on average...and when we're busier, I work additional evening hours.

My volume is decent for my area...slowed a little but overall its still strong.
 
I'm the owner, with one full-time employee. I started the business with him in the plan and he's staying no matter what! We each work 40+ hours a week...10am to 6pm Mon. - Sat. I work Mon-Fri and Larry works Tue-Sat. We're pretty flexible though, he'll come in on his day off if we're swamped, but he can also go to the doctors, dentist or whatever on a regular day. And he'll cover for me if my kids need to go to the doc or something's happening at school. He's pretty much like my partner, but he gets a paycheck regularly.

2008 sucked! Now, even if we get back to some type of normal, it'll take months to make up the loss. Just trying to come out on the other side. Good luck to ALL of you in 2009!
 
WOW!

I'm impressed with all the "I'm alone!" shops! I LIKE to be alone in my shop, but I need the help, else NOTHING would get done.

We need to balance working with customers and getting their work done in a timely fashion. We need help to accomplish both...

Wendy
The Art Corner
Salem, MA
 
Well, with maybe 5-10 orders coming in a week, there isn't much justification for employees. On Saturday, I took in a $35 drymount job, and today I took in a $200 full-framing job...except that the guy didn't have any money on him, so he'll have to send me a check. I guess just because a dentist requires payment in full at time of treatment doesn't mean the framer should get paid anything when the order is placed, right?
 
new Grumbler...

I've been lurking about since joining just a couple of days or so ago. I, too, am impressed with how many one-person shop owners are responding here.

My situation is that I'm not in the business - at least not yet. Hope to retire from higher ed in the near future, and think this is a way to combine my hobby of photography with what I perceive is a real lack of framing opportunities in my area. Closest place from where we hope to set up shop is 75 miles. We'll be in a small rural county seat of roughly 5,000 population, college town, and the hub of activity in the area.

Initially, I'll probably be the lone employee - but when my wife retires, she will plan to join me and we'll each work in the shop and at the counter as needs dictate. We hope to buy the equipment, if not the business, of a shop in town that closed a few years ago and had developed a shop with a good reputation. I do not believe the town could support two shops and would not be interested if there was another shop already open.

I'm trying to read all the posts in "The Grumble" to learn as much as possible. This is a fascinating group of folks - very helpful!
 
Thanks for all the input. Now I don't feel so much like the lone ranger. Ideally, I need two other people. But it's just me. When it gets really busy, myself and I chip in. Business is dreadfully slow, but shows some signs of improving. I think here we are still feeling the Hurricane Katrina crunch. Old business lost but relocated to better area. I do low volume, but high quality. I'm that anal retentive framer. I 'll frame anything for anybody, but I specialize in framing fine art and fine photography. Do a lot of framing for art galleries and some for the New Orleans Museum of Art. I put in about 60 hours weekly. But I do have a lovely 18 lb blue eyed Cream Point Himalayan who keeps me company and lets me think I'm the boss. His name is Rodney. He is a rescue cat and absolutely loves people. People see him sleeping in the window and come see him and chat with me. It often results with some sales later.
 
I work 5-6 days a week and have a full-timer who works 5 days a week. She opens, I close, and on Saturdays I work by myself for the most part. I have another part-time guy but lately I've been using him for buildout since he has a construction background.

My full timer is having her second baby in August and will take a lot of time off if she comes back at all. I wish I could be a one woman show but I think I would die. She burned her hands so badly before x-mas that she couldn't frame and that convinced me I need very regular help.

With the blip in the economy, I entertain the idea of scaling back on the staffing or at least hiring less expensive help, but I'm already stretched thin physically and psychologically. Most days I work between 9 and 12 hours, so at least 50 hours a week minimum. I could work less, but I like to work when the store is closed. Going in early and getting frames cut while playing Modest Mouse really loudly before the doors open revs up my day. At night is when I reset, take out the trash, clean my desk etc.

Why do I do this again? Oh right, for the love of mitres. No, mostly for the love of being at work. I like my store. I like to vacuum it and fiddle with the samples and dig through racks of molding. I like running around like a recently decapitated chicken. And the smell of freshly cut wood. Yum.
 
I'm also a one person shop. Luckily for us 2008 was our best year ever. I've been open for 3 1/2 years. So far it's been a little slow but 2009 isn't far behind where we were this time in 2008.

My posted hours are Mon, Tue, Wed from 9-5:30 with Wed & Fri from 9-4:30. I do appointments during the week starting at 7am-9am and then 5:30-6:30pm and appointments on Saturdays from 9:30-12pm. I, like alot of other framers here will be there when the customer needs me whatever time that may be, much to my families dismay.

I actually get into the store at 5:30am and stay until the stuff is done for the next day or until I drop. Most days are 12+ hours with book keeping to be taken home and done before bed. Unless we have to order items we have a 2 day turn time on in stock items. Although it's hard sometimes it seems to keep people coming back. People get excited about the first item being done and then within a couple of days bring something else in.

December 08 was our best month ever, and I was putting in 16-18 hour days 7 days a week to make Christmas deadlines. Needless to say I closed the week between Christmas and News Years and tried to catch up on my sleep. But even being exhausted and grumpy I wouldn't change a thing. Still lovin' it!!
 
How do I get more hip?

I used to have an employee, but economy has done away with that. My orders have dried up this month and don't know what the future looks like yet. I just keep hoping the economy has a resounding return around here. My rent is high (a couple of grand). I think I need to figure out my next move and how to approach the kind of customers that come to my shop. I mean in advertising terms. I think my market is getting younger and more eclectic everyday. So the old stoggy frames on the wall are just not doing it.
I get more poster (cheap) orders and photographs than the traditional large frame jobs that once were abundant. How do I get more hip? Mainstream and in the loop with the younger crowd in this crazy economy? I have a lot to do to figure this out.
PF
 
Two full time, and two part-time, and me.
One of the full timers has asked if she can go part-time, and I'm toying with the idea of going all part-time with employees, or letting a part-timer go.

The new reality is that business will probably be fairly slow this entire year, and we need to plan accordingly.

My corporate work is still pretty busy, but the retail is very soft.

I don't think anyone can predict when it will pick up.
 
Just me, let the pt-timer go in oct. She works occasionaly so I don't go insane, might be a little late on that. M-fri. 10-6 Sat 10-4 sun closed I come in usualy at nine to get books done, however since the boss isn't watching sometimes I come in only a 1/2 hour before opening. I am behind in my paperwork, inventory, cleaning, changing lightbulbs, changing displays..... but most orders are on time. Also in the evenings I take the moulding to my home shop and chop there then bring back to the shop in a.m. I can't wait till I can hire someone again. Maybe by the fall we will pick up again. Last year was off 18%, jan was down almost 50%, and well I haven't got to Feburarys books yet!
 
Just like Danny, I also have a staff of three: Me, Myself and I.

Work stupid hours 6 days a week (longer than it should be due to long term illness-related concentration problems). Find it easier to concentrate on production work when the doors are closed.

One of my best selling propositions is the quality of finish I put on my work, and if I do get to afford an employee, it'll be a CMC rather than another person, as a well-calibrated machine will produce work consistently to high quality standards: sadly one cannot guarantee the same with a human (don't ask how I know this), and it seems that can be harder and harder these days to "get the staff." That said, I would actually prefer to have a second person working with me, as it would give me more time to work on developing the business, and it would also provide me with some cover at times when my health isn't so hectic. At the moment, if I'm poorly, I have no choice but to close the door. It's a terrible frustration from both sides of the counter.

I must love framing tremendously: If I didn't care so much for the work I do, I think I'd have closed up some time ago.
 
I'm mostly a one woman show but with a little help. My hubby comes in and helps out in the evenings and weekends. We're open M-F 9:30 - 5:30 & Sat. 10 - 2. We are probably about to start staying open later on Sat to try to bring in more business.
 
Just me and the two dogs. With occasional help from an "on call" part-time employee. I prefer to work alone - I get a lot more accomplished. Open 5 days a week. I hope in the future to have a more permanent part-timer thats comfortable working while I'm away though.
 
Me, myself, and I. Single owner, operator, cook and bottlewasher here. 1,200 sq foot shop - about as small as you can go and still do all your own production. Average 2-3 orders per week these days which frankly sucks! I am taking consulting jobs to keep the lights on and the doors open. I am here for at least 40 hours each week.
 
I run the framing side with one full timer and my wife runs the other (craft/giftware etc etc) side with 3 part timers, but they can do framing collections and art sales too. My wife also does all the books and will take framing orders when it gets busy, just like I can help someone calculate how big a piece of 18 count aida (or whatever) they need for a certain sized project and sell them it and all the threads they need - or whatever, when that side gets busy. It gets busy sometimes with people just wanting to put the world to rights, as we are heavily involved in the community.

Did have another part timer - just one day a week, who did all the needlework lacing, shirt stitching, etc and we also tried to have a framing and art 'manager' to free me up to get more work, such as corporate - could never find the right person.

We never do less than 100 framing orders a month, touch wood. It was more like every 3 weeks until recently, but that's just made me a better salesman!

Shop hours are 0900 - 1730; 6 days, but I take two afternoons off a week; my wife doesn't start 'til about 11am and goes home for lunch 2 hours later - luxury! But the accounts are done at home, so I do all the cooking and shopping.
 
In the process of buying equipment and setting up a small frame shop. Still currently working a normal job for another year or so. My wife will run during the day and I will frame at night till I can retire to help fultime. Have really enjoyed reading all the comments ever night. Been trying learn all I can form your posts. Great site. Hope you dont mind a newcomer lurking around the site.
 
Ken, I strongly recommend involving yourself in the local PPFA chapter. Your will find a wealth of information. The KY/TN chapter is full of helpful people. Mike Drury at South Hill Gallery in Lexington is one of the officers. I am sure they would welcome a new member. Their website is http://www.southhillgallery.com/
 
small shop

We have 1 full time employee and myself. We take in about 6 orders a week. I work anywhere from 6-20 hours a week on the framing aspect of our business based on demand of individual projects. I also have a small gallery and a pottery studio which accounts for a minimum of 40 hours per week. We are now growing, luckily, and will possibly need to bring an additional person in part time to assure quality work.
 
There are two and a half of us. There is also the hubby half as well that does all the infernal check writing and taxes and bookkeeping yada yada. I put in 40 hour weeks, sometimes 50. framing store ownership has to be considered part of life otherwise I would have to say it is 70 hour weeks.
In Calif there is no slowdown for winter, it is breakneck steady stream of framing all through the year with breathing space between New Years and taxes.It only gets more frenetic for Christmas. I do not want to be a bigger store, this is my choice, to be small. I am open tues thru Sat.
 
2, wife and me. We are open 930-1900 Mon-Thu, 930-6 Fri-Sun, of course if the lights are on I'm open (taken several orders after 2100.
She comes in and opens, She works front counter, I work in back, ocassionally she lets me out to see the customers! I come in at lunch for an hr, then back at 1730/1800, usually until 0200, (Only 1 more year until retirement, yea!!!!)
Sales have been great, average about 20 a week, includes engraving and wood work. I am currently up about 28% from last year, of course some of this has to do with a change in the way I price, I was leaving alot of money on the counter last year.
 
10 employees, some part time. 32 year old shop. Two owners who work 60+ hours a week, including work time at home, delivery, marketing, corporate calls, etc. Open 7 days, Thurs. until 8PM.
 
My shop is me plus GeAnn does some fitting. She is there when needed to help with customers and also does much of the filling. We run between 200-300 orders per month including printing and frame only for oil artists. We have also been doing about 40-50 pieces per month for framed art inventory to replace the items sold. In my spare time I make a lot of ready made frames. I offer while you wait framing and do about 2 of those a day.

I put in about 60 hours a week including printing at home and she is about 20 working hours per week. I could get a lot more done if most of our customers didn't pop in regularly to visit with us. When customers are hanging out I pop out to make a couple of frames in the middle of the conversations while GeAnn entertains. I've been doing this since the 70's so cutting and joining a frame is 3-5 minutes. My customers talk with me while I dry mount, cut mats and glass. Dry mounting is about 3 minutes start to finish and a double mat is about 10. I do while you wait framing in 20-30 minutes while talking with the customer.
 
Jeff Rodier said:
My shop is me plus GeAnn does some fitting. She is there when needed to help with customers and also does much of the filling. We run between 200-300 orders per month including printing and frame only for oil artists. We have also been doing about 40-50 pieces per month for framed art inventory to replace the items sold.
Click to expand...

So if you are turning out about 12 frames per day with GeAnn doing all the filling, what is she using to fill all those inexpensive mouldings? (See black glue thread.)

Carry on...
 
Kirstie said:
So if you are turning out about 12 frames per day with GeAnn doing all the filling, what is she using to fill all those inexpensive mouldings? (See black glue thread.)

Carry on...
Click to expand...

Filler wax and there is almost nothing to fill. I don't allow glue to ooze out from the joints since I use Corner Weld. We pounce the corner with Kiwi Scuff Cover ( don't use the shoe polish) which is a carnuba with dye combination. The Kiwi Scuff Cover doesn't affect the toners on the Italian and Spanish high end finishes (evaporates away to original color) and if the miter is not absolutely perfect a tad of wax with a slimmed down popsicle stick (shave with utility knife to thin like the reed of a woodwind instrument) or a wooden cuticle stick.

I almost never need to wipe any excess glue when joining and the Corner Weld is incredibly strong and has a plasticizer so it does not crack like wood glue. It runs close to $50 a gallon but if used appropriately a gallon lasts forever.
 
Create a Post
Back
Top