The Frame Workshop of Appleton, Inc.

09/11/2026

At 10am on 12 September 1978, I opened the doors to our business, for the first time! Today, we are still on Northland Ave in Appleton, 48 years later serving folks in the Fox Valley.

In the beginning, it was just a DIY & Custom Framing shop, along with a few prints and note cards. We had little idea of the road ahead but have evolved to become the Nation’s Most Award Winning Frame Shop and great purveyors of unique Home Décor, Gifts and Christmas Collectibles.

Thanks to many dedicated employees, loyal customers, long hours and many changes to our business model, we are here today, celebrating our 48th Business Anniversary! Thank you!

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Ten things you may not have known about The Frame Workshop in Appleton….

1) Located on W Northland Ave for the first 31 years, our business neighbors in Camelot Village included Pepe’s Pizza, The Ark of Crafts, Joseph’s Home Decorating and Steiger Nutrition Center.

2) Our first customer walked in on 12 September with arms full of art and prints, and shared, “I wanted to make sure you had a customer on your first day.” - Thanks, Bev Kreiss for driving from Ripon on that day.

3) We were initially closed on Mondays, as our weekday hours were 10am to 9pm Tues-Friday and Saturdays until 5:30pm… LONG DAYS.

4) Our first two employees were Jane (Bingen) Issac and Grace (Garriott) Flunker.

5) Winning our first framing competition ribbon in 1981, TFW has gone onto accumulating over 100+ framing awards in competition, on the National and International level.

6) When we opened in 1978, the existing custom framers in town were Landmark Gallery (Superior St), Helen’s Art Shop and Renetta’s Art Supply (Lawe St), all in Appleton.

7) When we opened in 1978, the major gift shop retailers were the Treasure Box and Donald's, both downtown on College Ave.

8) We hosted our first artist appearance in 1979 showcasing an exhibit of Children’s illustrations by Andee Most (of Milwaukee).

9) All of the original store fixtures, tables etc. were built on site by John, Jane Bingen and landlord, Vic Timm. They are still being used today.

10) Manager, Candy (Peeters) Wiater, had been an employee with the most longevity here, starting in 1992… 34 years!

Andersen, Laurie Van Asten Carol Andrews Pingel, Candy Wiater Kimberly Forbes Stephanie Grall Bitzan Linda Reinemann Minkebige Stark-Hale 'Wandke' Radtke Hennessey Oliver Velasco and many others...

09/02/2026

Halloween is out and on display at The Frame Workshop... Decor, ornaments, puzzles. Scary, Cute & Fun.... We offer a Great Selection....

08/27/2026

Solmate crew socks have arrived! They are full of love, warmth and character. Each product is crafted at their own mill in Hickory, North Carolina and hand-finished to last a lifetime. Sustainably sourced. Made in USA. Crafted with love to embrace inclusivity for all - and now available at The Frame Workshop of Appleton, Inc.

08/18/2026

Meet Lady... a neighborhood Beagle who insists stopping by our flowers on her 7am morning walk! 🥰 Our pink petunias in front of our shop this year have evoked dozens of compliments... and several folks taking photos. The secret... sunshine, water, and dead-heading frequently.

But honestly, we're most chuffed that our canine friends appreciate this too! 🐕🐾❤️. Thanks fir sharing, Beth Johnson...

08/06/2026

We were honored to frame and hang these historical photographs last week, for St. John Nepomucene Catholic Parish in Little Chute. Thank you Sarah Vosters along with for making this a memorable team effort.

Sarah also worked closely with the Little Chute Historical Society in tarnishing info and details...

08/05/2026

You can find these stickers, puzzles, books from Pomegranate featuring Charley's work, in our shop. We also showcase a number of his original Serigraphs... 👍 We were very privileged to have him as a guest in our shop several times.... 👍🥰👍

Happy Birthday, Charley Harper!

His paintings have delighted art and animal lovers for more than seven decades. With a distinctive use of geometric shapes, patterns, and vivid colors, Harper distilled the essence of nature to its most important details—as he said, “Instead of putting everything in, I try to leave everything out. I call it ‘minimal realism.’”

07/20/2026

Coming to.EAA AirVenture 2026? Do stop by and visit John Ford Photography...exhibiting in Bldg D... This is the 2nd year that of Appleton has worked with John Ford in exhibiting his work at the Fly-in.... His artistic view of Aviation phtotography is truly unique...

07/14/2026

Christian Miller came to us with a project to preserve and display his grandfather's military career in the U.S. Air Force. Norman Thouvenelle served from 1954 retiring as a Lt Col in August 1975.

The shadowbox frame that we created displays his ranks as an Air Force Officer flying 12 different types of aircraft, as well as his medals and unit citation. The map in the middle pins his deployment assignments from Europe to the South Pacific and the U.S. and was retained from an earlier frame created by a colleague. An interesting element to this design was the inclusion of engraved illustrations of 12 types of aircraft that Norman flew in his Air Force career, from a C-130 to an F-111 swing winged fighter.

It was an honor to preserve his grandfathers military history for Christian's family to enjoy for generations...

07/09/2026

On this date: 9 July, 1776: General George Washington ordered the Declaration of Independence to be read aloud to the Continental Army in New York.

07/08/2026

Nothing beats an inviting entrance... and flowers do that so well! We are so pleased how well these floral urns and window box have responded to our crazy weather. If you've driven by and seen these, 🌻🌹🌺let us know what you think?