To the Editor,
So.... what’s up with the Frame Shop?
As many of you may have read, some big changes had been planned for Nor'east Frameworks, our local frame shop in downtown Manchester.
Chuck Hayback, who started the shop in 1995, and his wife, Coleen, have been living in separate places since they’d re-connected back in 2012. The couple were friends in their youth, having met on Block Island, where both of their families had summer homes. Coleen was married, and had a son in Maryland, so was based out of the mid-Atlantic. Chuck has run the frame shop, being the head framer, designer, sidewalk sweeper, lightbulb-changer... in other words, a small business owner. Each would take a week out of every month to travel to the other, with summers being spent on the glorious New England coast.
But with COVID, the pair decided to make some changes. They found a beautiful house in Bethesda where their son is enrolled in school, as well as someone who wanted to take over the frame shop, employing all the same wonderful staff that you know and love. This was an opportunity for Chuck to be a full-time husband and dad.
Now we all know that things don't always go according to plans. While the Haybacks had just moved into their new house at the start of May, on July 2nd a devastating house fire took the home and nearly everything they had there with it. Thankfully, no one was injured during the blaze which brought 84 responders in 16 trucks to the inferno.
“We had found a true dream house, in an amazing neighborhood, renting from a wonderful family who had owned the home since it was built in the 1960s. We planned to keep our apartment in Manchester, because we just didn’t want to lose the connection to this amazing place we‘ve called home for so long. But the move to Bethesda was necessary and we were very happy with how it was going.”, said Coleen.
Mr Hayback added, “And knowing the shop would continue under qualified new management, serving the community while keeping my people employed... that was really, really important to me.”
Since the fire, the couple has decided to keep the frame shop and art gallery running under their leadership and ownership.
“This complicates life a bit, but we are committed to being the finest, full-service framing company north of Boston! We have worked really hard for almost 25 years... seen ups and downs... recessions... wars... 9/11... and always kept firm in our love for the arts and our community. While elements of our plans have changed, this definitely hasn’t.” said Chuck.
Store hours have changed slightly, open Tuesday through Friday, from 10am to 5pm, and 10am until 4pm on Saturdays and they strongly recommend arranging appointments, as they are doing their very best to maintain safety in the space. Nancy, Pamela, Martha and Jane are all still there, and Chuck will continue to lead the team on their mission to create impeccably crafted, beautifully designed, and wonderfully unique framing for all those who love and need their service.
Chuck Hayback
Manchester
