U Frame It, a cornerstone of the greater Madison area for nearly half a century, prides itself on being locally owned and family operated. With locations on both the west and east sides, they specialize in custom framing for various types of artwork and memorabilia, offering fast, affordable, and high-quality service. Melissa Wiesneth and Cory Swadley, the current owners, are deeply involved in all aspects of the framing process.
As a family-owned and operated business, they collaborate closely with their staff to ensure smooth operations. Melissa focuses on retail aspects such as project design, art preparation, frame building and merchandising, drawing from over 15 years of experience under the original founder, Denise Masters. Cory oversees workshop operations, including frame building, equipment maintenance, Human Resources, and financial management.
What sets U Frame It apart from others is their exceptional customer service and commitment to delivering products built to last. Their team of talented artists visualize each project from an artist's perspective, often surprising customers with discounts on framing materials. Notable achievements include expanding to serve both the East and West sides of Madison and adapting to meet post-pandemic demand.
Deeply rooted in the Madison community, U Frame It has a history of collaboration. Melissa works directly with MPD to create a number of pieces, such as a shadowbox for the chief's retirement or captain's badges, pins, name plates, and other personal mementos from their careers. She enjoys creating special pieces that showcase a lifetime of public service encapsulated in a personalized work of framed art. U Frame It also loves Madison's local art scene. They showcase many Madison area local artists at their East side gallery featuring one or more artists every month. They also sell prints, cards, pottery, and other household goods from multiple local artists. To give back, they actively contribute to charitable causes and donate materials to support art education in local schools.
We gained insight into the custom framing process during a visit to the West-side location. Our goal was to frame an original sketch of Park Bank's various branches from the late 1990s, created by Deb Neu, who happens to be the mother-in-law of Diondray Premo, a Business Banking Officer. Our friends at U Frame It presented us with various framing options, mattes, and even varieties of glass. It was incredible to have the opportunity to custom frame this significant piece of Park Bank history, ensuring it will be well-displayed for years to come.
Looking ahead, Melissa and Cory envision U Frame It thriving for another 50 years, driven by the satisfaction of their customers and a commitment to growth. They aim to expand their commercial client base, collaborate with home builders, and potentially establish an offsite workshop or warehouse to increase capacity.