Could you be the next owner of Downtown Frame of Mine?
you have framing experience
If you already have experience in custom framing, this may be the easiest path to business ownership you could ask for. Instead of starting from scratch—finding a location, purchasing equipment, building worktables, sourcing moulding and matboard, establishing vendor relationships and accumulating the countless tools and supplies a professional frame shop requires—you can step into an established operation where the infrastructure is already in place.
Downtown Frame of Mine is being offered as a turnkey business, with the professional equipment, tools, work areas and substantial inventory needed for day-to-day custom framing operations included in the sale. The shop has been built and refined over nearly two decades of operation, so much of the expensive and time-consuming work of creating a functioning frame shop has already been done.
For an experienced framer who has dreamed of owning a shop—or an existing framing business looking to expand into Maryland's Eastern Shore—this is an opportunity to acquire much more than equipment. It's the foundation of an established business that is ready for its next owner.
you want to start a new career
You don't necessarily need years of framing experience to see the potential in this business. Custom framing combines craftsmanship, creativity, problem solving and customer service—and many of the skills involved can be learned with hands-on instruction and practice.
One of the most valuable things included with this opportunity is something you can't order from an equipment supplier: experience. The current owner is willing to provide up to a month of hands-on training and transition assistance to help the new owner understand the equipment, materials, framing process and everyday operation of the shop. We will also be available beyond the one month of hands of training for questions and occasional help.
For someone looking for a career change, this offers an unusual opportunity to learn an established trade while stepping into a business where the workspace, equipment and inventory are already assembled. Rather than spending months trying to determine what you need and how everything works, you'll have an experienced framer helping you understand the operation you're taking over.
If you enjoy working with your hands, being creative, solving problems and working directly with customers, custom framing can be an exceptionally satisfying second career.
potential beyond framing
Downtown Frame of Mine offers more than traditional custom framing. The equipment and workspace included with the business create opportunities for a new owner to develop additional products and services based on their own interests and experience.
The shop's capabilities include professional framing equipment as well as a wide-format printer and fiber laser equipment. In the hands of an entrepreneurial owner, those capabilities can potentially support services and products beyond the shop's traditional framing work—from printing and specialty artwork to engraving, personalized products, signage and other creative applications. Artist highlight nights, paint and sip events are a great idea also!
That means the next owner doesn't necessarily have to operate Downtown Frame of Mine exactly as it has always operated. The existing business can provide a foundation while the new owner develops additional revenue streams and brings new ideas into the space.
For someone with an entrepreneurial mindset, the opportunity isn't simply to preserve what has already been built. It's to decide what the next version of the business could become.
artist studio
For an artist, photographer, designer, crafts person or other creative professional, the shop presents an intriguing combination: a working retail business and a professionally equipped creative workspace under one roof.
A new owner could continue offering custom framing while using the space and equipment to support their own creative work. An artist could create and sell original artwork or prints. A photographer could produce, display and frame finished pieces. A designer or maker could develop products using the shop's printing, framing and laser capabilities.
The retail environment also provides something many independent artists don't have—a physical place to meet customers and display finished work while operating a complementary service business.
Rather than viewing the shop only as a traditional frame shop, a creative buyer can look at the equipment, workspace and established location as the foundation for a broader creative business of their own.
we will fully train you
A successful transition matters. After operating Downtown Frame of Mine since 2007, Doug has accumulated nearly two decades of practical knowledge about custom framing, equipment, materials, workflow and working with customers—and he is willing to help pass that knowledge to the next owner.
The sale includes up to one month of hands-on training and transition assistance. That time can be used to become familiar with the shop, learn equipment operation, understand framing techniques and materials, and gain practical knowledge about how the business has operated.
The goal isn't simply to hand someone the keys and wish them luck. Doug would like to see the business continue successfully after his retirement and understands that transferring knowledge can be just as important as transferring equipment.
For a buyer who is newer to framing, that transition period can provide an invaluable head start. For an experienced framer, it provides an opportunity to quickly learn the particular equipment, workflow and operation of this shop.
local and state opportunities for funding
Cambridge and Maryland's Eastern Shore have a network of organizations focused on small-business development, downtown revitalization and entrepreneurship. Depending on the buyer and their plans for the business, there may be financing, technical assistance, incentive programs or grant opportunities worth exploring. And with the selling price being around the cost of a new Honda, this is an obtainable opportunity to create a career.
A prospective owner may be able to investigate resources available through local, county, state and federal small-business programs. Some programs are designed specifically to encourage investment in established downtown commercial districts, support small businesses, assist entrepreneurs or help finance equipment and business acquisition.
Eligibility varies significantly by program, and no particular funding source or grant is guaranteed as part of the sale. However, a serious buyer does not necessarily have to navigate those possibilities alone. We can help point interested buyers toward organizations and resources that may be worth contacting as they explore financing and business ownership.
CAMBRIDGE BUSINESS INCENTIVES
DORCHESTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
MARYLAND BUSINESS FUNDING
SBA BUSINESS ACQUISITION LOANS
SBA Financing May Be an Option
You may not need to fund the entire purchase of the business out of pocket.
The U.S. Small Business Administration's 7(a) Loan Program allows SBA-backed financing to be used for a change of business ownership, making it a potential financing option for qualified buyers interested in acquiring Downtown Frame of Mine.
Depending on the buyer, lender and structure of the transaction, SBA 7(a) financing may also be used for other eligible business needs, including working capital, equipment, furniture, fixtures and supplies.
SBA loans are made through participating lenders, and approval is not guaranteed. Prospective buyers are encouraged to speak with an SBA-participating lender or small-business advisor to determine eligibility and discuss financing options for a business acquisition.