This August, Elsinore Framing & Fine Art Gallery saw its worst month of business since the pandemic.
It was a combination of factors, said General Manager Brent Allen, including tariffs and financial uncertainty in Salem households that have people prioritizing groceries over getting art framed.
The gallery had already been operating essentially month to month since Covid. After August, the gallery’s owners, who include Allen, considered shutting down the framing operation, about 85% of their income.
They discussed keeping the gallery doors open until funds ran out, continuing to provide local artists with one of the few places in town to regularly sell their work for as long as possible.
Before making that decision, Allen took to social media. He asked the community to support their operations by visiting, buying art, bringing in work to frame and spreading the word. He also posted a GoFundMe.
Salem responded, with some people searching their homes for unframed art to bring in. The shop’s board of projects went from 10 to 50 pieces. Others came in and bought art.
“We went from the worst August we had in a long time, and then we turned that around in September, we had the second-best September. Because people responded to that,” Allen said.
It helped, but the business is not out of the woods.
This weekend, an auction of original paintings, vintage goods, ceramics and more aims to help keep Elsinore Framing & Fine Art Gallery in business beyond its 40th anniversary this June.
Nearly 200 items have been donated for both a silent and live auction, with audience members holding up paddles to bid this Sunday, Nov. 16. The auction is hosted by the gallery and nonprofit Artists in Action, whose member artists show work there. The items will be available for viewing between 1 and 4 p.m., and the auction will go from 4 p.m. to around 7 p.m.
If the business closes, it’ll be one less place for local artists to get their start. The business, which spent much of its 40-year tenure framing prints and posters, pivoted to featuring original work by artists about a decade ago and started hosting more art shows. Last year, it cemented its role in Salem as a place for artists to develop their careers by partnering with Artists in Action for a co-op gallery.
Many of the business’ financial challenges have come from a convergence of global factors on an industry that relies on international shipping, materials prone to price hikes and a customer base with disposable income.
In 2020, the gallery took out a $70,000 U.S. Small Business Administration loan, which the business has been paying interest on. The loan money helped them get through slow months and sudden expenses.
In the years since, supply shortages have driven up the cost of framing materials – everything from wood to glass to matte boards. Framing suppliers also consolidated in recent years, Allen said, creating a monopoly where they can set higher and higher prices.
Many of the issues have stemmed from their non-economy options, where custom frame orders are placed in other countries, including Italy and the Philippines.
Allen was used to one price increase per year in an industry without big margins. Then came the Trump administration’s tariffs, which have taxed imported goods around the world and have increased prices since early this year.
“Since the tariffs have gone in, I’ve gotten three price increases already from various distributors, because the stuff’s made in Italy and they don’t have a choice. So whatever country is affected on a weekly basis by the changes is going to be one that’s going to be more expensive,” he said.
Allen said his costs have increased about 30% since last year.
As his costs of business have gone up, so have his customers’ costs of living. He described framing as a “luxury business,” one of the first to be struck from people’s budgets when times get tougher and people struggle to afford basic necessities. And if people want art, they’re more likely to look for a cheap print on Amazon.
“You got to have milk and eggs. You don’t have to go buy a $400 painting,” Allen said. “There’s a limit to what people will spend on (art) right now, and we have to just realize that’s the reality we’re in.”
They spent the last of the loan after August for expenses.
“There’s no backup plan. There’s no savings anymore,” he said.
Allen said he was explaining the situation to a member of Artists in Action, Allyson Flagg-Miller, who suggested holding an auction to fundraise for the gallery. Artists in Action got involved with organizing, and posted information about donating to the auction on their website.
“The Elsinore Framing & Art Gallery is part of the social, economic and artistic collective that makes Salem a wonderful experience for everyone,” the organization said in a statement. “After nearly 40 years of remarkable contributions to the culture that makes Salem a destination city, the Elsinore Framing & Art Gallery needs your help.”
Allen said a major goal of the auction is to pay off around half of the small business loan so that it’s not as devastating for the part owner who took it out to pay off when repayment is due in about 25 years.
He also hopes to see the gallery make it to 40 years of business in June.
“And at the end of September, it didn’t look like that was going to happen,” he said.
Within weeks, artists and community members brought in nearly 200 items, ranging in value from $30 small pieces to a $10,000 painting. Small businesses also put together packages and gifts for the silent auction, and local artists brought in original pieces and art supplies like easels. Some have brought in miscellaneous items, like an antique fountain pen.
He said more than a third of the donations have come from local artists.
“They don’t want to see us go away,” he said. “The art community has really stepped up.”
See the Artists in Action website for photos of some of the pieces up for auction: everything from bowls of buttons to paintings of cowboys. People can also sign up to volunteer at the event.
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.
A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE.
Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
Salem Reporter | Copyright © 2025 – Developed by PaywallProject
