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Date: 5/13/2021
WILBRAHAM – Kimberly Breil has made a career out of offering quality photo and art framing.
With many professional framers retiring and shops closing, Briel had to wait for the right person to pass her craft – and her business – on to. Now, she is selling The Frame and Picture Shoppe.
Breil has owned the Frame and Picture Shoppe for 25 years.
“I’d been framing for someone else for probably about 13 years,” Breil said, and at that time she decided to open her own business.
The business was located in the Wilbraham Shops for a little over 12 years before moving to its current location at 2378 Boston Rd., Suite A.
Recently, Breil’s clientele has been growing. She said that quality framing is something people are looking for and as more framers retire, the customers seek out the shop.
“It’s so busy, it’s time for someone younger to do it,” Breil said.
That someone is Rik Alvarez. Alvarez, who is currently a paraprofessional at Mile Tree Elementary School, met Breil about five years ago when he began bringing his “rather large collection of [toy packaging] art, comic art and other rare items,” to her for framing. “I’ve had her working on framing my collection practically non-stop since then,” he said.
Alvarez offered to buy the shop from Breil and, she said, the timing was right. For Alvarez’s part, while he loves working with children, he said, he will be leaving at the end of the school year to focus on the business.
May 15 is the last day Briel is taking orders. She and Alvarez will be doing what she called “intense training” from June through August, after which Alvarez will take the reins.
“Kimberly will be staying on in a limited capacity for at least the first year,” said Alvarez. “Most importantly, I plan to continue her traditional way of framing by doing everything by hand.”
While the quality and methods will remain, Alvarez said he is going to adjust the shop’s “atmosphere” to suit his style before reopening in September. “I’ve always loved pop culture and have already begun to assemble a modern art collection to feature in the shop. Of course, also I’ll keep more traditional pieces of art available such as landscapes and classic prints.”
More information about the Frame and Picture Shoppe can be found at https://frameandpictureshoppe.com.