Spring Break
Squared away
Little shop in MSC basement has long history of framing, other traditions.
By: Brooke Lein
Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: News
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"They offered instruction in pottery, belly dancing, massage therapy, photography (they had dark rooms), they had woodworking classes and all kinds of additional things that people could take extra - that's why they call it 'The University Plus,'" said Anne Kennedy, the shop's manager. "Now it's just simply a custom framing shop, but it's got a really rich background."
The frame shop employees do not know where they will be moved when the MSC is renovated, but are expected to move out in June 2009. Employee Sarah Hall, a freshman English major, said that although they have not been informed where they will go, they will not cease to exist.
"The shop has been around for a long time," said employee Adam Dreiss, a junior construction science major. "It started out as a craft shop, and they did pottery and woodworking as well. It wasn't making money and the only thing that brought the shop significant revenue was the framing, and that's what has lasted over time."
The frame shop offers custom framing for diplomas, artwork and anything else a student wants to preserve.
Each semester, an average of 150 graduating students use the services of the frame shop to decorate and embellish diplomas, symbols of hard work at Texas A&M.
"It's different for every graduation," Hall said. "We sell more for spring graduations, a little less during the winter semester, and least are sold in the summer."
While most customers frame diplomas, a few others visit the shop to buy pieces that will facilitate the showcasing of their artwork.
"It's all pretty much framing, but we'll do custom work too," Hall said. "Mostly we do diplomas, but some people will bring in artwork and we'll do custom frames for that kind of stuff too."
All frames are cut and polished in the basement of the MSC, in a room adjacent to the store. The shop is owned by A&M and operated by students.
"It's mostly student run," Dreiss said. "We do everything from ordering the supplies to interacting with the customers."
Frames range in price, based on intricacy of design and effort needed to produce them, and the longest waiting time between order and delivery is two weeks.
"If the materials are in stock, depending on how busy we are, we can usually have it done in a couple of days," Hall said. "Frames are made by Aggies for Aggies."
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