FrameWorks is a diversified, woman-owned commercial framing company and art gallery with a longtime retail presence in Miami and a national footprint in the commercial contract framing industry. FrameWorks was launched in 1989, when Christine Sweeny moved to Miami and opened a frame shop in the heart of Coconut Grove called Kennedy Studios. In1995, Sweeny rebranded the business as FrameWorks,…
In the past decade, the art and framing industry has faced a number of significant challenges. It has experienced the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the crash of the housing market, and the proliferation of big-box craft stores. All of these factors have affected the sales and profitability of small independent frame shops and galleries. Yet, through ingenuity…
Framers are always looking for ways to increase profits. They’ll try just about any advertising idea, even having their logo emblazoned on placemats at the local diner, cash-register tapes and bowling score sheets. They’ll squeeze suppliers for discounts; I’m guilty of this one. They’ll walk around their shops switching off lights to save a few pennies. However, one of the…
By Paul Cascio,The Guerrilla Framer When I first joined the framing business more than 25 years ago, I had to advertise in the Yellow Pages directory. It was a necessary evil for anyone in a service business. The Yellow Pages directory was the Google of its day. There, consumers searched for services, such as plumbing, transmission repair and, yes, picture…
By Eric Jarmann As framers, our framing design habits tend to be influenced by various trends that crop up in the world of art and decor. Sometimes you have a favorite frame profile for a long time, but then eventually you eventually drop it from your repertoire. We all have that group of corner samples that’s worn from constant use…
A successful frameshop owner offers assistance in developing inexpensive, client-based programs to increase repeat business and referrals.
By Indu Chandrasekhar When Lisa Crabtree requested a mat cutter for Christmas some years ago, she had no idea the simple gift would lead to a dramatic upheaval in her life. A longtime information technology specialist in the Houston area, Crabtree had installed software for companies throughout the world for nearly 25 years. Armed with this new tool, however, she…
Wanted: A marketing event that pays for itself, generates positive, free publicity for a business, and builds name recognition, all while supporting the local arts community. Great news – I’ve found it! Each year, Finer Frames hosts a juried art competition in the spring to build name recognition and highlight the work of many talented local artists. Fifty area artists…
