After years of helping other people run their businesses, Eric Mann decided to find a way to make a living while being his own boss.
“I’ve always wanted to work for myself,” said Eric. “I love creating: the work of designing and making. I’ve always had a lot of creative energy, so before I bought the shop, I would come home after sitting in front of computer all day and still be filled with lots of creative energy. Now I get to create all day long, and I come home after work with no energy at all. It’s wonderful.”
Frame Up is located on First Avenue Northwest in downtown Grand Rapids. Eric has been a vocal advocate for encouraging the City of Grand Rapids to reinvest in street improvements and other things that will keep downtown thriving and vital.
“We’re a destination shop on the block,” Eric explained, “and with the other developments taking place in the area—the co-op, a new restaurant on our block and two more a block away—we’re seeing lots of positive activity.
“After years of turning their backs on their downtowns, communities are figuring out that reinvesting in their downtowns makes good business sense, and we’re seeing that here in Grand Rapids, too,” Eric continued. “We need to continue to see the potential in our downtown; it works!”
When the previous owners of Frame Up, Deb Page and Chris Rostvold, approached him about taking over the business, he began searching for financing. He contacted a couple of banks but wasn’t making much progress. Deb suggested that Noah Wilcox at Grand Rapids State Bank might be interested in helping, and even provided a phone number. Noah had been a steady Frame Up customer, but Eric was a bit leery of calling the bank president’s cell phone. He did, however, and the rest is history.
“Noah invited me to stop for a visit, and after we talked, he introduced me to Nate Lloyd, one of the business bankers,” Eric said. “The loan process closed quickly, and Nate’s been good to work with ever since.”
Since purchasing the shop, Eric and his wife, Corrin, and their three children sold their home in town during the 2021 COVID outbreak and purchased a house outside of town. More recently, the family bought a new vehicle. Both purchases were financed through Grand Rapids State Bank.
Eric now employs one part-time employee, and together they help customers find just the right frames to display the wide range of items people bring to them.
“We’ve framed newspaper articles, fossils, magazine covers, pieces of fabric from a wedding dress, prints and posters of all shapes and sizes, historic artifacts, even golf clubs,” said Eric.
“Initially I didn’t want to be viewed as a ‘destination shop,’” Eric continued, “but since then I’ve leaned into that concept. In addition to the framing work we do, we sell unique art items you won’t find anywhere else: handmade pottery, beeswax candles of human teeth, handmade earrings and even flying pig sculptures.
“I love that things change here day-to-day,” Eric added. “New things come in all the time, and it’s always a mystery to see what walks in the door.”
When he’s finished with his day at the shop, Eric enjoys managing some of the forest land he and Corrin purchased five years ago.
“I love playing in the woods, especially since I’m inside most of my day,” he noted. “We can practice good forest regeneration on our woodlands, and I love working in our garden, too.”