Adam Fins

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself: where you’re from originally and where you live now.

Adam Fins, originally from Massachusetts, now in Savannah, GA.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

In the 16 years I’ve lived here, we’ve averaged about a quarter-inch of snow a year. Coming from the Northeast, that alone makes it worth it. But what really made Savannah home for me is the everyday kindness of the people and a quality of life you just can't find up north. The pace of things down here can take a little getting used to sometimes, but the warmth of this community (both literally and figuratively) makes it worth it.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

Friedman's Framing started back in 1902 as an art supply store. Nearly 125 years and four generations later (five generations total), we’ve moved to focus strictly on custom picture framing.

We work with both commercial and residential clients, but at the end of the day, our job is simple: we help people make their spaces feel welcoming and express themselves through the art and objects they care about. Whether it’s a family heirloom, a high-end print, or an irreplaceable piece of history, we give people an honest, well-crafted way to preserve and display what matters to them and tell their stories.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

Know your target audience, know what specific issue you’re solving for them, and know what your value actually is. Once you have that down, treat every single customer the same.

We’ve been around for nearly 125 years because of our dedication to customer service and doing right by people. Whether someone comes in with a simple $50 poster or an expensive museum piece, the size of the job has zero impact on how we treat them. If you build your business on honesty and equal respect for every person who walks through your door, the longevity will take care of itself.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

We’ve lost count of the number of times a client has gotten misty-eyed when we show them a finished piece. People bring us things that carry deep personal weight - a grandparent's military medals, a piece of art bought on a milestone trip, or a fragile family photo - so seeing it framed and preserved properly for the future can hit pretty hard.

While there isn't one single line that stands out above the rest, the phrase we hear over and over is, "It's even better than I imagined it could be. I'm so glad I brought it here."

When someone trusts you with something irreplaceable, that's the ultimate confirmation that you did your job right. It reminds us that we aren't just cutting wood and glass; we're helping people preserve their memories.

Where do you see your company in the future?

We’ve been the most recognized name in local framing for a long time, including receiving the 2026 Savannah Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award, and we're a multiple-time winner of the Best of Savannah HOMES and other local awards. At a time when people are being much more intentional about where and how they spend their money, we’re actually seeing our business grow. People know our reputation, and they know we haven't lost focus on customer service or the quality of our work.

Looking ahead, we plan to keep pushing down this same path, especially as the Savannah area continues its rapid expansion. We often consider opening additional locations to better cover the growing footprint of the region, and while that’s always on the table, we won't ever expand just for the sake of getting bigger. If opening another shop means diluting the level of service or care we give our clients, it’s not worth it. For us, staying the best matters a lot more than just becoming the biggest.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

That’s an easy one: the idea that custom framing has to be absurdly expensive, or that big-box store discounts are actually saving you money. Big-box craft stores have conditioned people with constant "50% off" coupons, but when you look at the final bill, you’re still paying hundreds of dollars for a marked-up, mass-produced product.

There’s definitely a place for cheap, pre-made frames - and if that's what makes sense for what you have, we’ll literally tell you that. But if you actually need custom framing, going to an independent professional is almost always a better value.

We set our prices honestly so we don't have to play coupon games to give you a fair deal. We use proper archival materials, and our staff doesn't work on commission, so nobody is ever going to pressure you into a pricier option just to hit a quota. Most of our employees have been with us for years, so you get consistency and actual expertise every time you walk in.

We might occasionally cost a few bucks more up front than a chain store AFTER their coupon (though we check their pricing regularly, and the gap is way smaller than people think), but doing it right the first time saves you time and money in the long run. The piece lasts, it doesn't damage your art, and you actually end up happy with how it looks on your wall.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

As a non-essential business, every economic downturn gives us a reason to worry. When budgets get tight, custom picture framing isn't usually at the top of someone's grocery list. But time and again, we've bounced back because of the trust we’ve built and the real value we bring to our clients.

COVID was probably the scariest example of that, but looking back, it turned out to be a major turning point for us. When people were suddenly stuck inside staring at empty walls, they developed a whole new appreciation for their living spaces. Since then, people have been much more intentional about making their homes feel comfortable and personal.

We responded to that shift by leaning in hard. We stepped up our continuing education and social media presence, attended national trade conferences, updated our product lines, and doubled down on design trends. Most importantly, we expanded how we give back locally. We’ve always supported major causes, but lately, we’ve made a conscious effort to sponsor smaller events to keep Savannah's creative scene strong and self-sustaining.

Funny story on that front: earlier this year, we reached out to a local organization to ask about sponsorship tiers for their major annual event because we couldn't find any info on their website. Their response was literally, "Honestly, nobody has ever asked us to sponsor it before..." We were more than happy to be the first.

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

Our website is https://www.FriedmansFraming.com, where you can check out what we do or use our "Request a Quote" feature if you've got a project in mind.

If you want to see the variety of cool, unique things we get to frame for our clients every day, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok under @FriedmansFraming.

We also keep our Google Business Profile up to date, so if you're looking for our shop hours, address, or phone number, that's always the most accurate place to check before heading over.