The Frame Maker

We brought in a oriental rug that had been in my family over a century. They provided excellent recommendations on the best way to frame and mount it. They did an outstanding job and we couldn’t be happier. Wonderful people, priced right, delivered on time and it exceeded our expectations.

I’ve had two encounters with this business. The first was great; the second was not.
1^st visit: I brought an odd-​sized photograph that I wanted to frame. The owner worked with me and actually gave me a very reasonable price for the type of frame I got. The frame has looked great and I’ve been really pleased with it (purchased over 1 year ago).
2^nd visit: Since my first experience was good I decided to go back an seek advisement on a piece that needed more work. I had a 28 year-​old cross-​stitch piece that my grandmother had made me. The pre-​fabricated frame it was in had become chipped and scratched. I told him I was looking for a way to update the piece. I used the word «modern» loosely because, how modern can a gaggle of cross-​stitched geese with the word «WELCOME» across their chests really get?
Well…I was probably in the store for about 25 minutes chatting with the owner and we didn’t make any progress. He seemed a bit bothered with the piece and told me there’d be no way to replicate the frame (all one piece with a rounded top). I told him I wanted to update the look and the finished product didn’t have to look anything like it currently did. I was open to an entirely new look.
He told me it would likely cost $ 300+ and even then he wasn’t really able to offer me any suggestions. He said it would take at least an hour or two of design time.
Not only was he not interested in helping, he actually insulted the piece several times. He compared it to a piece his family member gave him which he keeps in a drawer because he would never display it. That was really an awful way to talk about a sentimental piece that he knew my deceased grandmother had made for me!
In the end, I went to Aaron Brothers and the gentleman at the framing counter was extremely attentive, interested, and genuinely concerned with creating a design solution for me. He was able to take digital photos of the piece with new mounting/​framing suggestions, and showed me a computer-​generated design in minutes. He came up with exactly what I had wanted.
If I had not had the first positive experience with the Frame Maker, I definitely would have to give him a 1-​star review for his level of customer service. :(

–They care about their customers #1: when snowstorms in the Midwest snarled transportation of my chosen frame over the Thanksgiving weekend, Tom called to offer to put my piece in a temporary frame, since he knew it was to be the centerpiece of my birthday party the next week. I was able to pick it up, display it, and return it at my convenience once the real frame had arrived. AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE. I was absolutely floored, there was no room for disappointment. I was just so impressed that they would even offer to do something like that. This is what it means to go above and beyond in customer service.
–They care about their customers #2: I do not have an artistic eye, just a general concept of what might go together. Tom is an artist in his own right for helping the minimally creative envision what their artwork could be. Tom didn’t push the more expensive frame options. He explained the differences in frames, what makes one frame more expensive than another, and explained every cost upfront, so there were no surprises. He even educated me on how best to hang such a large piece in an earthquake-​prone area.
–They care about their community: This independent business provided the space for the exhibition of the works of Kevin Young, a San Diego based photographer recovering from a spinal cord injury. They could just hang generic works on the walls, but instead they let the beauty of Mr. Young’s work draw you in, and shared his incredible story.
Support this Independent business, they will look after you (especially if you are only minimally creative!)

The folks did a wonderful and speedy job on a very special piece. In her youth, my grandmother made this amazing Christmas tree out of costume jewelry, backed on velvet. The frame broke long ago, and the lovely people at The Frame Maker made great suggestions and did a same day job — on Christmas Eve, no less! — restoring the piece to its former glory. Check them out — this is SO much better than Aaron Brothers!

Museum grade framing that I would not trust with anyone else. If you have important artwork any serious collector or conservator will advise you to go here. I have had 5 pieces done here all were done expertly. You get what you pay for and you do not get this quality at Aaron Brothers type place.

It took just shy of 7 weeks to frame one piece of paper? Unsatisfactory!