Completing the Picture
Studio G in Tarzana isn’t the least expensive frame store of its kind, but it certainly is one of the best, and it still runs 25% to 33% lower in price than many other framing stores.
What makes the store different is that the staff doesn’t just plop a frame on something, they try to find a new and more creative approach to the framing and matting of each piece.
Prices are low because owner Joel Galston and his one employee do all the work. Nothing is contracted out.
In business for five years, Studio G recently opened a retail store and gallery where you can see a variety of items framed using their unique approach. You can see the clever way they use textures, patterns and colors to complement a framed piece rather than detract from it. The needlepoint crowd has found this spot; many needlework shops send their customers here.
They’ll frame just about anything--from comic books, baseball cards, guitar picks and casino chips to T-shirts and Indian headdresses--some of which are on display in their gallery. And they seem more than willing to spend the requisite time with a customer to get the desired effect.
A worthwhile adjunct to the frame department is the photography studio, which specializes in children and glamour. Galston, a commercial photographer on the side, believes in shooting until he gets the perfect picture instead of sticking to a set number of takes. He promises “no fake smiles, no time limit, no posing,” and his wife Alvira, a makeup artist, provides the necessary beautifying.
There’s a 20% discount on a frame chosen for a portrait produced by the photography studio. Studio G, 18670 Ventura Blvd., Suite A, Tarzana 91356; (818) 342-0450. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and by appointment.
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Weekend Super Sale
Starting Saturday, The Address, one of L.A.’s finest resale stores for women’s designer apparel and accessories, is having its annual summer sale, and many items will be marked 50% off original prices. Check out the special racks of exceptional deals all priced at $30 and under. The sale runs through Aug. 17, but the early bird arrives early and scores the top deals. The Address, 1116 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. (310) 394-1406. Special sale hours: Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
