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Date: 6/1/2021
EASTHAMPTON – After 130 years serving residents in Northampton on Main Street, Pierce’s Frame Shop has officially moved into Easthampton with sister businesses Guild Art Supply and Big Wheel Press on 1 Cottage St.
The three businesses are making headway together in Easthampton after Bill Muller, the owner of Guild Art Supply, Pierce’s and Big Wheel Press, decided to move the Guild Art Supply from the old Northampton location to the Big Wheel Press location in Easthampton late last summer. Pierce’s moved to the Cottage Street location a little over a month ago.
Muller said that he wanted to move these locations to Easthampton because the rent was cheaper, and the pandemic was making it more difficult to operate in Northampton.
“I knew that the crisis would not be over in a few months,” said Muller. “I could see it going on for a couple of years and we a needed certain level of foot traffic to survive at the high rent we were paying.”
The owner also added that their space in Northampton had no ventilation. All they had was a front door and no windows to open. “It did not seem like a safe option for operating during a pandemic which was spread by an airborne virus,” said Muller, who also added that many of his regular customers either live in Southampton or Easthampton.
“It was time for a move,” said Muller. “Downtown Northampton had evolved into a restaurant/entertainment district with customers coming to town primarily in the late afternoons and evenings. Morning and midday shopping was dead.”
According to Muller, the Guild Art Supply move was “difficult,” especially since his staff trickled back last summer and the public was not allowed to visit the old location in person due to guidelines from the pandemic. At one point, Muller began allowing two people at a time to shop in Guild Art Supply, but for the most part, he mainly focused on offering curbside pickup. Guild Art Supply was located in Northampton for 37 years.
Muller founded Guild Art Supply in 1984, bought Pierce’s in 1987, and began Big Wheel in 2008. According to the Guild Art Supply, Big Wheel Press and Pierce’s Frame Shop website, the new Easthampton location offers a selection of oil, acrylic, and watercolor paints as well as items ranging from drafting supplies, crafting goods, printmaking materials and decorative papers, among other items and materials. People can also shop online.
Pierce’s specializes in conservation-grade materials with regard to framing. They can work with posters, fine art, children’s finger painting, family heirlooms, shadow boxes and more.
As of right now, Muller said he has six people on staff, and all of them are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 prevention. He hopes to begin offering art and letterpress workshops again sometime in the summer once it looks to be a little safer to gather. He also plans on conducting demonstrations of new products in the future.
“I love the fact that the customers have been so supportive, and that they can park and not get a parking ticket,” said Muller, with regard to how residents of Easthampton have responded to the new location.
Guild Art Supply is now open for in-store shopping without a technical limit and curbside pickup is still available. Even with the guidelines changing, Muller said masks will be necessary after May 29 for people looking to visit the shop.
Pierce’s is available for appointment from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Residents can call 584-1207 to make an appointment at Pierce’s. For more information, visit their website at https://www.bigwheelpress.com.