Side Street Framers & Gift Gallery Expands With Pasadena Location

After 34 years as a family business in Severna Park, Side Street Framers & gift gallery has added a new location in Pasadena. Doors opened on October 12.

The business’ first store opened in Severna Park on the opposite side of Ritchie Highway in 1989.

“We are a real family affair,” said Dawn Wilson, managing partner of Side Street Framers & gift gallery.

Wilson noted how three generations of women run both shops, including her mother, Barbara Daniels, as well as sisters Sandy Monck and Donna Phillips. Monck is now vice president at United Way of Central Maryland but continues to help with special store events.

“Our staff is filled with sisters, daughters and nieces,” said Wilson, noting that the store also has other staff members who are not technically family members, but they feel like they are to the team.

Side Street Framers & gift gallery is a custom picture framer that has built its reputation on an ability to frame virtually anything: diplomas, children’s artwork, needlework, shadowboxes, sports memorabilia, canvases and more.

“You name it, we will frame it,” Wilson said.

While the business offers traditional two-dimensional framing, it often takes on challenging three-dimensional projects. Thus, Side Street Framers & gift gallery is known as a specialist in the fine art of shadowbox framing, a type of display that has a fixed space between the glass and artwork.

The shop also offers conservation framing, as well as ultraviolet-protected glass to make sure customers’ meaningful items last for generations to come.

“We have expanded our services over the years by offering photo restoration and canvas repairs,” Wilson said.

In addition to its framing business, the store has a gallery filled with art, candles, jewelry, pottery, handmade soaps and lotions, plus other types of gifts made locally and throughout the U.S.

“We believe that things made with hands are made from the heart and are more special for that reason, so we keep it all handcrafted,” Wilson said.

The store showcases a roster of local artists such as Kim Hovell, Terri Heckler, Cathy Slyer, Bert Mooney, Patricia Aquilina, Jon Brown, Christina Emde and Ron Orlando.

“We care very much about the community and love supporting local artisans,” Wilson said.

Wilson shared that many of their artists — local ones in particular — have a following.

Jane Ferguson’s oil paintings are highly collected. Jessica Graves is a jewelry maker whose customers come in regularly to see her latest lines. Sea glass artist Cathy Kelly makes snowflakes and jewelry. Graves and Kelly have a secondary role on the Side Street Framers & gift gallery team, helping with framing and other projects.

The Pasadena location will carry some of the same artists, but much of the inventory will be different.

“We are thinking of this store as an extension of our original store, so if you like what we carry in Severna Park, you will really enjoy the new gift items and art that we have in Pasadena,” Wilson said.

Opening the new location drills down to one key theme — more.

“We wanted to be able to offer more … more framing, more gifts and the ability to offer more services,” Wilson said. “We needed more room, and now we can service other areas a little better.”

The stores are close enough that customers can do holiday shopping at both locations. Side Street Framers & gift gallery’s new location in Pasadena is located at 8220 Ritchie Highway, suite 6.