What Emil Frei & Associates does

Emil Frei & Associates (legal entity Emil Frei, Inc.) is a fifth-generation, family-owned liturgical design studio founded in 1898 by Emil Frei Sr. in St. Louis and currently headquartered at 1017 W Adams Ave, Kirkwood, Missouri. The firm specializes in the design, fabrication, restoration, and preservation of custom stained glass and architectural mosaics, with a documented project footprint spanning cathedrals, basilicas, parishes, synagogues, seminaries, universities, schools, hospitals, and cemeteries across the Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southwest, and Western United States. Customers include marquee religious institutions (Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, National Episcopal Cathedral, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, St. Francis Xavier College Church) as well as healthcare and educational buyers such as St. Mary's Regional Health Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Emory University.

The studio operates three integrated service lines: Commission (leaded stained-glass windows, faceted slab glass windows, interior stained-glass screens, architectural mosaics, and panel mosaics); Restoration (maintenance and complete reconstruction, cleaning, custom protective glazing and framing, mosaic substrate repair, and reuse of reclaimed glass and mosaics); and Design Consulting (pre-construction consulting, committee guidance, artwork inventory and reuse, sacred art consulting, and liturgical design master plans). Technical differentiation rests on proprietary methods developed across generations—notably Robert Frei's industry-standard epoxy resin for faceted glass and a double-hung hurricane protection system engineered for Gulf Coast installations—combined with in-house mouth-blown crystal glass fabrication and a 125+ year archive of original design sketches that enable authentic restoration.

The business model is project-based enterprise field sales: Emil Frei engages directly with pastors, parish leaders, facility managers, architects, and interior designers through consultative selling, with quote-only, custom, multi-year project contracts and no publicly disclosed pricing. Headcount is in the 11-50 employee range; the company is privately held with no external investors, no funding rounds, and no parent entity, operating today under President Aaron Frei (fifth generation) and Vice-President Nicholas Frei, supported by a craftsman roster that includes family members, theologian-designers, a Benedictine monk serving as designer, and specialized metalsmiths.

Name

Emil Frei & Associates

Legal name

Emil Frei, Inc.

Website

https://emilfrei.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Emil Frei & Associates is a fifth-generation, family-owned liturgical design studio founded in 1898 in Kirkwood, Missouri, specializing in custom stained-glass and mosaic commission, restoration, and design consulting for religious institutions, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Stained Glass & Mosaic Liturgical Art Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141), Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Finishes & Decorative Installations (Plaster, Stone Veneer, Feature Walls) (IMAFANAM)

Keywords

• Custom stained glass
• Liturgical art design
• Mosaic fabrication
• Stained glass restoration
• Church art consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Stained Glass and Mosaic Commission: Create custom stained glass and mosaics in various styles for new construction projects. Services include leaded stained-glass windows, faceted slab glass windows, interior stained-glass screens, architectural mosaics, and panel mosaics.
2. Restoration Services: Restore and preserve stained glass and mosaics including repairs, cleaning, protective glazing, and complete reconstruction services.
3. Design Consulting: Provide start-to-finish liturgical design consulting services including pre-construction consulting, committee guidance, artwork inventory, sacred art consulting, and liturgical design master plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Emil Frei & Associates is a liturgical design studio that designs, fabricates, and restores custom stained glass windows and mosaics for religious institutions, healthcare facilities, universities, and memorials. The firm operates three service lines: Commission (new leaded stained-glass, faceted slab glass, interior stained-glass screens, architectural mosaics, and panel mosaics), Restoration (repairs, cleaning, protective glazing/framing, mosaic substrate repair, and reuse of reclaimed stained glass), and Design Consulting (pre-construction, committee guidance, artwork inventory, sacred art, and liturgical design master planning).

Product overview

Emil Frei & Associates is a liturgical design studio offering three interconnected service lines: Commission (new stained glass and mosaic creation), Restoration (preservation and repair), and Design Consulting (comprehensive liturgical design services). The Commission service encompasses five distinct offerings: Leaded Stained-Glass Windows, Faceted Slab Glass Windows, Interior Stained-Glass Screens, Architectural Mosaics, and Panel Mosaics. The Restoration service includes Maintenance Repairs & Complete Reconstruction, Stained Glass Cleaning, Custom Protective Glazing and Framing, Mosaic & Mosaic Substrate Repair, and Reuse of Reclaimed Stained Glass and Mosaic. The Design Consulting service provides Pre-Construction Consulting, Committee Guidance, Artwork Inventory and Reuse, Sacred Art Consulting, and Liturgical Design and Master Plan services. Founded in 1898, the company operates from Kirkwood, Missouri, and has completed thousands of projects across the United States for cathedrals, basilicas, parishes, synagogues, seminaries, universities, schools, hospitals, and cemeteries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leaded Stained-Glass Windows (Commission) Custom leaded stained-glass windows designed to integrate with building architecture and liturgical plans, crafted from mouth-blown crystal using traditional techniques in gothic, pictorial, and modern styles. Targeted at religious institutions, healthcare facilities, universities, and other organizations commissioning sacred-art windows.
• Faceted Slab Glass Windows (Commission) Custom faceted slab glass windows for exterior and interior openings, featuring textured glass applications that transform natural light. Targeted at institutions seeking distinctive contemporary liturgical windows with depth and texture.
• Interior Stained-Glass Screens (Commission) Interior stained-glass screens that enhance sacred spaces with artistic glass installations defining space while allowing light transmission. For religious and institutional interiors requiring partition or focal art.
• Architectural Mosaics (Commission) Custom architectural mosaics for exterior and interior environments — walls, ceilings, domes, floors — using venetian smalti, tesserae, natural stone tile, and handmade ceramic tiles in Greek, Roman, Byzantine, medieval, modern, and contemporary styles. For institutions seeking large-scale signature mosaics.
• Panel Mosaics (Commission) Wall-hung panel mosaics designed to integrate with building architecture and liturgical plans, using precious materials and brilliant colors. For institutions seeking discrete mosaic artwork for interior display.
• Stained Glass Maintenance, Repairs & Complete Reconstruction (Restoration) Comprehensive restoration services including fixing bulged stained glass, replacing shattered pieces, total panel recreation, matching original glass and painting techniques, and mosaic substrate repair. Targeted at institutions preserving historic stained-glass windows.
• Stained Glass Cleaning (Restoration) Professional cleaning services for stained glass and mosaic windows to maintain artwork appearance and prevent potential damage. Targeted at institutions with existing historic or contemporary artwork in need of routine maintenance.
• Custom Protective Glazing and Framing (Restoration) Custom protective glazing and framing systems that protect stained glass from weather, hurricanes, and environmental damage — including the firm's innovative double-hung window system for coastal properties. Targeted at institutions in hurricane-prone regions and any site needing weather protection.
• Mosaic & Mosaic Substrate Repair (Restoration) Mosaic repair services including substrate repair, replacement of missing mosaic pieces, and matching original mosaic materials. Targeted at institutions with historic mosaics in need of preservation.
• Reuse of Reclaimed Stained Glass and Mosaic (Restoration) Window removal, documentation, storage, and reuse planning services for existing stained glass, including tracery preservation and replication. Targeted at institutions undergoing renovation or decommissioning of buildings with historic windows.
• Pre-Construction Design Consulting Pre-construction design consulting including liturgical needs assessment, scope refinement, conceptual design creation, and budget allocation for sacred-space projects. For project committees initiating new construction or major renovation.
• Committee Guidance (Design Consulting) Guidance for project committees to understand church project components and develop liturgical plans meeting community worship needs. For parish/cathedral committees guiding capital and liturgical-art projects.
• Artwork Inventory and Reuse (Design Consulting) Assessment and planning for existing artwork inventory, including removal documentation and reuse planning for church art collections. For institutions managing decommissioned or transferred sacred artwork.
• Sacred Art Consulting (Design Consulting) Sacred art consulting including iconographic programs, paint schemes, and design specifications for sacred furnishings — pews, altars, ambos, chairs, lecterns, and sculpture. For institutions seeking comprehensive sacred-environment design beyond stained glass or mosaics.
• Liturgical Design and Master Plan (Design Consulting) Comprehensive liturgical design and master planning ensuring appropriate integration of sacred art into building architecture, including client representation during construction. For institutions undertaking new construction or major liturgical reordering.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully restored and preserved 11 of 35 windows at St. Francis De Sales (Oratory of St. Francis De Sales) - first time touched in 110 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Conrad Schmitt Studios: Wisconsin-based studio specializing in ecclesiastical decorative arts including stained glass, mosaics, murals, and statuary for Catholic and other religious institutions. Overlaps directly with Emil Frei on mosaic and stained glass commissions and on liturgical consulting.
• Beyer Studios: Custom stained glass studio serving churches, memorials, and institutions with new commissions and restoration services. Comparable mid-sized craft studio with similar liturgical customer focus and project-based pricing.
• Lamb Studios: New York-based stained glass studio (founded 1860s) producing custom windows for churches, memorials, and institutions. Comparable in craft focus, religious institutional customer base, and project portfolio.
• Willet Hauser Architectural Glass: One of the oldest continuously operating stained glass studios in the U.S. (founded 1898, same vintage as Emil Frei), serving churches and institutions with new commissions, restoration, and protective glazing. Directly comparable in customer base, service lines, and craft specialization.
• David Kennedy Studios: Custom stained glass studio producing ecclesiastical and architectural windows with both traditional and contemporary styles. Comparable in service scope and target customer profile.
• Rohlf's Stained Glass & Restoration: Long-established (since 1920) stained glass studio in Mount Vernon, NY, offering new commissions, restoration, and protective glazing. Directly comparable in service mix, longevity, and customer segments.
• Connelly Glass Studios: Custom stained glass design, fabrication, and restoration studio serving churches and institutions across the U.S. Directly comparable craft focus, service offerings, and customer base.
• Judson Studios: Los Angeles stained glass studio (founded 1897) producing custom religious and secular windows, with comparable expertise in faceted slab glass and architectural integration. Family-operated across generations like Emil Frei, and directly competitive on major West Coast commissions.

Broad incumbents

• Rambusch Decorating Company: Historic U.S. firm (founded 1898) specializing in ecclesiastical decoration including stained glass, lighting, mosaics, and metalwork. Broader portfolio than Emil Frei (lighting, metalwork, painting) and competes for many of the same religious institution commissions.

Regional players

• Glasmalerei Peters GmbH: German stained glass studio with deep heritage in traditional Munich-style pictorial work (the same tradition Emil Frei Sr. trained in). Comparable craft specialization and quality, but serves primarily European customers rather than competing directly in the U.S.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emil-frei-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emil Frei & Associates