The story of Chester Frame Company is one of unexpected beginnings, bold decisions, and a whole lot of excitement. It all started in the most unlikely of places—a small loading dock behind my frame shop. At the time, I was running a busy retail business, focused on custom frames, but I had no idea that this little corner would become the birthplace of something much bigger.

For months, one of my frame reps had been telling me, “You’ve got something special here. These frames you’re designing—people would love them.” He was convinced we could sell them, but I wasn’t so sure. So, in 2015, I decided to take a chance and ask him, “How many frames do you think we could sell in a year?” Without missing a beat, he said, “Maybe 100.”

I thought, “Okay, that seems doable, right?” Especially since I still had my busy frame shop to run. But what happened next was beyond anything I could’ve imagined. We hit 100 frames in the first quarter—and that was just the beginning! The momentum was wild. We were off and running, and I realized I was onto something way bigger than I’d ever expected.

Within a few years, I made the decision to sell my retail shop and focus fully on Chester Frame Company. It felt like the right time to dive in headfirst, and every single day since has been a thrilling ride of growth, challenges, and endless opportunities. Looking back, I can’t help but smile at how it all came together—it’s been an incredible journey, and I’m more excited than ever about what’s to come!