Olympia Framemakers opened in the Capital Village Shopping Center 33 years ago, in 1978. The framing industry was young, our selection for custom framing and matting was very limited, and u-frame-it was all the rage. Metal picture frames were our top seller, and very little of what we did was conservation framing.

Museum conservators were not open to sharing what they considered the "secrets" of their trade. It took some years before the framing industry caught up to the standards necessary to protect fine art, and Olympia Framemakers has always been on the cutting edge, learning and implementing new conservation practices and using newly available conservation materials.

Years ago, we had two choices for colors in our rag mat selection...white or white. After discovering the difference conservation materials makes in the long term outcome of our framing we recommend that all art, poster to Picasso, be framed with conservation materials.

When the choices in colors and fabrics and liners and mouldings exploded, we began to learn that framing design is everything. Our knowledge and style color and design has developed into a skill of which we are very proud. We enjoy taking the time to go through the design process with every customer, explaining where we are taking them, and why. We still learn every day, both from the finished pieces we see and the fine input of our wonderful customers.

So, we have grown up from a u-frame-it which was mostly concerned with keeping customers from hitting their thumbs with the hammer, to a full-service, expert conservation design studio with a fine reputation for exceptional commitment to every person who walks in our door, no matter how small or large their job is.

We still frame a lot of posters in metal frames... but we can also make that same poster or any photograph, collectible, memento or fine art work into a masterpiece...because...after all, framing is an art!