For months, the future of one-time sexiest Hayes Valley vacant storefront contender 465 Hayes St. has been a question mark, with windows lined floor-to-ceiling with paper. That empty canvas is about to come alive with the mid-March opening of Photograph & Frame, a San Francisco-based frame shop with locations in the Marina and Palo Alto.
We spoke to owner Fred Rubenstein, a third-generation retailer who opened the first Photograph & Frame in 2005. His dream, he said, was to open a frame store that was a "little simpler to run, and a little more visual." His stores don't manufacture or cut, but outsource so there's an added design element. “We have a focus on merchandising, assortment, and entertainment," he said.
The Hayes Valley space was given to Rubenstein in a "raw state," a design element he plans to emphasize. Concrete floors, exposed pipes and ceiling will become part of the "SoHo gallery feel" Rubenstein hopes to cultivate. "We’re going to create a very different type of ambiance than a typical framing operation, that will speak to our customers," he added.
Photograph & Frame is known for its fixed price picture frames, pre-cut matts and frames, and easy installation. The store specializes in all sorts of custom framing options, in addition to offering readymade frames for purchase. "It’s a nice place to fall back on if you can’t afford custom work," said Rubenstein. The company works with local vendors to source materials like wood and corporate clients for larger projects, in addition to custom framing. It recently debuted a new program, called "House Call," where design consultants create personalized frame walls following a visit to the customer's home.
Photograph & Frame is also known for showcasing local art. The frame shop features local Bay Area artists, particularly photographers, in its retail locations and is now hiring for both artists and framers in Hayes Valley. Currently, Photograph and Frame's Marina location is showing local artist Ryan Buenning's original collection, entitled “Rusted Relics”.
Look out for Photograph & Frame to debut around the middle of March.
