Nestled into a mostly residential section of the Milneburg neighborhood in Gentilly, A To Z Framing encompasses a friendly clutter of frames, mats, prints and other tools of the framing trade. The business has operated at several locations since it was founded in 1984 by Karen and Alan Zimmer, who met while working at Methodist Hospital.
Karen Zimmer had tired of the medical world, and Alan Zimmer had a background in photography. Seeing the framing opportunities presented by the 1984 World’s Fair, they initially worked out of their living room before opening a store on Bullard Avenue. With a base of clients drawn from their medical contacts, the business was running smoothly until a fire at the location destroyed almost everything they had worked so hard to build.
“Fortunately, we also had a small store in Slidell, and we bounced over there,” said Alan Zimmer.
However, the couple’s hearts and home were in New Orleans, and when a shop on Prentiss Street came up for sale, they gladly purchased the operation.
Their business soon expanded to include showcasing up-and-coming artists from UNO and Tulane, along with framing work for several local galleries.
One specialty of A To Z is restoring gold leaf frames — the bulky, ornate frames often found around older works of art.
“There are not a lot of people doing this kind of thing,” Zimmer noted, “so we get a lot of referrals from other shops.”
The unique offering not only draws new customers into the business, it has led to connections with the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the New Orleans Historical Society, among others.
All this kept the business running smoothly until Hurricane Katrina.
“We had water to the ceiling,” said Zimmer.
So, it was back to working out of their house for the Zimmers until they could rebuild the shop.
However, two silver linings emerged from that disaster. First, demand for framing was high because so many people were replacing art they lost when their houses flooded.
Second, “people really learned about neighborhoods after Katrina,” Zimmer observed. “We’re part of the neighborhood, and people come to us just because we are in the neighborhood.”
With a strong nearby base and a specialty in citywide demand, Zimmer relies solely on word of mouth to keep his staff of three busy. This also facilitates the personal touch that is fundamental to A To Z’s approach.
“We spend time with each customer, give them options, try to figure out what they like,” Zimmer explained. “I try to get someone’s taste out of them so that I’m not putting my taste on their wall.”
In an art-loving city like New Orleans, good customer service and constant demand make for a successful business. While the Zimmers have received national recognition for the quality of their work, their focus is decidedly local, including a collegiality within the framing community here where shops gladly support each other by swapping out mats and frames when needed.
This leaves the Zimmers happily connected to their community — they often donate framing certificates to support surrounding organizations — and with a business that is, once again, running smoothly.
A to Z Framing and Restoration Services
2354 Prentiss Avenue // New Orleans // 504-283-5319
