Framing is a Family Business in Conshohocken

Framing is a trade that can seem pretty basic and mundane. But like many "simple" jobs -- things like landscaping, cooking, and photography that seemingly everyone can do, framing, when done well, can be elevated to an art form.

, which is located at 324 Fayette Street in Conshohocken and has serviced the area since 1997, father-son duo Jack and Brian Coll take the craft to that next level.

"It's very artistic and a way to be creative," Brian said. "We're always thinking outside the box, so if you bring in a unique piece of Rock and Roll art, some collectibles, or anything you can have fun with, we're the right people. Give us a week or so, and we can enhance what you want framed and help turn it into a great conversation piece."

The Colls can frame almost anything, from photographs and specially-made collages to musical instruments and sports memorabilia. And since all the framing is done on-site, they can go as big or small as the work requires, from a wedding gown or quilt all the way down to a photo-booth printout or wallet-size photo.

"Obviously, it's not for everyone, and we've had customers who just want something in one hour,” Brian said. “Doing it that way you get one of 12 options and any of our 200 color mats, and that's great. But if you give us some time, you can choose from over 3000 frames and get specialty mat cutting with our computerized mat cutter.

“People spend so much time picking out furniture, hardwood floors, and other house items, so if it's a lifetime piece we're crafting, why not give us the time to make it something special? A well-framed piece can last a lot longer than most other things in your house."

Although Brian and Jack specialize in the artistic, they don’t limit themselves to just the more ambitious projects. If a customer desires a standard job for something like a diploma or a wedding photo or requires quick work for a funeral, presentation or last-minute gift, Coll’s Custom Framing can accommodate that. In addition to offering expert same-day framing, the Coll’s also provide stretch mounting for unrolled canvases and even do glass replacement.

“I don’t want to put any other framers down, but if you took a piece of glass to another framer they may turn up their nose to just doing a piece of glass and send you to a hardware store,” Brian says. “We don’t mind doing that for people; we handle all aspects of framing. After the earthquake a few weeks ago, a few people came in with frames that had fallen, the glass broken. We did the jobs for them. One customer got it taken care of for $1 spent – just a new piece of glass.”

The store also carries limited edition photos from local artists, including some taken by Brian and Jack, former photographers who got involved in framing through a love of photography. Although it used to be their practice to buy general prints – things like flowers, a house, a field – the increasing presence of options on the Internet has changed their approach.

“There are some talented local artists doing very generic photography and paintings, and that’s great, but those things don’t sell here the way they did 10 years ago,” Brian says. “More people go to Web sites to find the print they want, so we stock more unique items, prints with a real local appeal. We still bring in boat house row, and we’ve got scenes from Conshy, Norristown and Philadelphia.  We carry a and poster and a collage that spells Conshohocken.”

The local appeal expands beyond the limited edition photos. Brian and Jack have authored a few books with local ties as well, including “Conshohocken Then and Now,” “Norristown Then and Now,” “Bridgeport (Images)”, and “Norristown (Images),” all of which they carry in the store along with other local interests books.

“The history of this place has been of great interest to us,” Brian says. “My dad worked for the Conshohocken Reporter as a photographer and writer, and he got to talk to a lot of local historians of the time. Since then we’ve gotten to pass on that information. We’re working on another Conshohocken book, this one more for the Facebook time. It’s not just a book with long drawn out chapters about the same old stuff like the Lenni-Lenape Indians. It’s little unique stories of Conshohocken and the people who lived here.”

Both father and son have major ties to the community as well. Jack sits on the Board of Directors at the Fellowship House, while Brian acts as the president of the Conshohocken Free Library. Both also serve as members on the mayor’s Special Events Committee, for which Brian is the organizer of the upcoming Conshohocken Fun Fest.

“Because of our involvement and interest, you can get some pretty great stories,” Brain said. “In our store when you buy a book, you might get a story behind it. We had some people come in here asking about their grandfather, saying they had heard he had been a cop in Conshohocken. We were able to pull out the book and show them his name, but then also to tell them other stuff that didn’t make it in the book. They had just heard a rumor, but they came in, got to hear the whole story, and left with their heads a little bit higher.”

For more information on Coll’s Framing: www.collscustomframing.com