Moving forward

The last few weeks have been a trying time for all at Sherman Mcnulty, the Downtown LA warehouse remodel is the largest single task we've ever undertaken.

Renovating this space has taken more time money and effort that we could ever have imagined but there is finally light at the end of the tunnel.

This week we are wrapping up the gallery space, it will be open for show and functions very shortly, we have also gotten a few of our rooms very close to completion and were finally back making headway on our warehouse space, the retail front is functional as it is and although it is no where near where I'd like it to be we have to pause on it to get some of the other areas completed, its a lot of space here and we're shooting for a really high standard across the board which will take time.

On a super positive note, The Downtown space has been really busy with walk in traffic, it has certainly confirmed our suspicions that Downtown Los Angeles has been in desperate need of a framer for a while, we are seeing new faces each day and they are all really excited to have us. I have opened a few business spaces in my time and I have never received a reception like this one so fingers crossed we will quickly become the go-to place for DTLA and the surrounding areas.

Organization

When we started Sherman Mcnulty Framing all those years ago one of our dreams was to have a super organized company.....We worked at it, somewhat, and for the most part we did well but for the first time we have a space that is conducive to the result.

We are determined to make our new space the most organized yet, we want to be able to provide the best product and service that money can buy and to do that we absolutely need a great foundation.

I will add some pictures of the progress here and show you the enormous amount of disorganization that we have to endure to achieve our ultimate goal and I will post the little ray of sunshine that brightens my day and lets me know that we might actually get there.

The room in question is the store room, it is one of the smallest rooms in the building and yet there is a great satisfaction in knowing that at least one small facet of this enormous undertaking is finished, and so I leave you just a little happier and just a little more relieved!!!!!!!!

Progress in the Downtown Los Angeles Picture Framing space

This is just a little update for you, I'm enjoying keeping track of the progress here and want to make sure to keep everyone in the loop.

We have almost finished hanging the samples but were thinking of adding more walls shortly, we want to have more frames here than any other place in LA but that's going to require a lot of square footage, we have about 7000 picture frame samples up right now but I really want to get to 15000, I don't think any other framing store in LA has that many!!

I will get some photos of our work up asap. In the mean time, if your ever in down town swing by and say hello

What a Day framing in Downtown LA

Today was an eventful day at our new picture framing warehouse and showroom in Downtown LA, we finally got our first sign up outside, it was a lot of work because this thing is huge but it was all worth it in the end. 

We had a little time for hanging samples and a bit more organizing but there is a great deal left to do.

The sign was put outside at around 3:30pm today and we had our first visitor as a result at around 5:30. It reminded me of opening our West Hollywood framing location all those years ago, at the time we were on an extreme shoe string budget, we had no idea how to accomplish what we need to but we persevered. 

I have a good friend who has a wood shop cut out the letters for our WEHO sign, we stuck them to a backing board and mounted it to the front of our new Picture Framing store. Up until this point we had no idea if we were going to make money or lose everything but the day we hung that sign on the front of the shop a man walked in, he was our first customer and he brought us a simple repair job worth $20 but with that visit came our first notion that we might actually make it.

When you take on a responsibility of a new business or store especially one like Downtown there is always a fear involved, we have worked hard over the years to bring the people of Los Angeles the service and quality that we think all picture framing should have but despite this a project of Downtown's magnitude could sink us, When that first customer came through our door there was a subtle but very definite sigh of relief. After 6 weeks of work and tens of thousands of dollars maybe this could still work, we are not out of the woods yet we will need a lot of support from the local community to get where we need to be but now we feel like we are one step closer..........

Update on our Down Town Picture framing location

We found the location of our dreams, its in the arts district and has a ton of potential its going to need a lot of work but were up for it.

We have decided that we want to make an Art emporium in the new space, its totally conducive to it and we have plenty of room.

We will have a custom framing center, a collection of art spaces for rent to local artists, a printing department and a gallery. We want this place to develop into a one stop shop for everything art related, clearly the picture framing will always be the corner stone of our business but its going to be great to be able to help people with everything they could ever need.

I don't think there is anywhere in town where you can print, frame and show your artwork and we are finally going to be able to provide that as we've always really wanted.

Down town

Almost exactly one year ago we were invited to move one of our Picture Framing locations to Down Town by a friend who had identified a market but needed help with a few aspects of the business.

We had the opportunity to share a space with a seasoned Downtowner and figured what the heck lets give it a try.

Since I have been in the US I have lived on the west side and in the valley, I have to tell you that to me Downtown LA might as well have been a different country.

Los Angeles is such a Sprawling county that it is no surprise to find people who have lived here their whole life and have rarely, or even never, visited many areas, I was no exception.

Downtown LA is very different from the places I have had the privilege to live and Frame in, on the outside its busy, dirty and riddled with issues but a light scratch at the surface reveals a city bristling with culture activity and energy.

Without the luxury of a low cost and the support of others we would never have had the courage to explore this wonderful place but we did, and how glad we are we could.

Fast forward one year and both us and seasoned Downtowner have outgrown our situation and now its time for us to move, we have a location that is currently under construction and I can't wait for you to see it..........To be continued

Sherman Mcnulty's New Blog

I'm not much for this kind of thing but I thought it was about time to find a way to help our customers and followers keep abreast of whats happening with us.

Being a little more traditional and not particularly tech savvy I really had no Idea how to make this happen, I contemplated monthly emails but I know they can be annoying and unwanted so after talking with people whom have far better knowledge than I a blog is the route that has been decided upon.

You might have to put up with an inept blogger for a while but I will try my best and with a little luck and practice there might actually be something worth reading here, so without further ado I will attempt to keep you as updated and entertained as I can muster.

Thank you loyal customers and thank you loyal readers