Underglass Custom Framing
Underglass Custom Framing is a San Francisco Castro District custom framing and in-house printing shop founded in 1985, serving individual consumers, local artists, and Bay Area businesses with museum-quality archival framing, ready-made frames, and delivery services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersSouth San Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Underglass Custom Framing does
Underglass Custom Framing is a privately held, single-location custom picture framing and printing business founded in 1985 and operating from 2239 Market Street in San Francisco's Castro District. The company provides custom framing services for fine art, photographs, documents, canvas, textiles, jerseys, shadowboxes, and oversized pieces, using archival-quality materials and conservation techniques including UV-filtering glass, acid-free mat board, float mounting, hand-wrapped fabric mats, Japanese washi hinges, and museum glass with anti-reflective coatings. It also operates in-house photo and fine art printing on premium papers (Epson Premium Luster, Epson Hot Press Bright, Hahnemühle Cotton Rag, Exhibition Satin Canvas) with prints up to 44 inches wide, alongside white-glove delivery and professional installation services within San Francisco, ready-made frames with UV-filtering glass, and gift certificates (physical and e-gift via Square).
The business is co-founded by Matthias (a Germany-born photographer trained at the San Francisco Art Institute) and Eric (a Michigan-raised fashion designer), and has been recognized by the City of San Francisco as an official Legacy Business for over 40 years of continuous community operation. It is LGBTQ-owned and positions itself as a community hub hosting fundraisers and local artist showcases.
Underglass generates revenue through one-time, project-based custom framing and printing transactions, plus ancillary delivery, installation, and gift certificate sales. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; a 20% first-order discount is offered to newsletter subscribers. The go-to-market is predominantly direct-to-consumer via a walk-in retail storefront with no appointment required, supplemented by phone/email quote requests, an e-commerce channel for custom prints with in-store pickup, and organic marketing channels (Instagram, Yelp, Google reviews, and an extensive blog/portfolio dating to 2015). Customer segments are horizontal: individual consumers in San Francisco and the Bay Area (primary), local artists and galleries, and Bay Area businesses seeking corporate or event framing.
Underglass Custom Framing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Underglass Custom Framing
- Legal name
- Underglass Custom Framing Inc.
- Website
- https://underglassframing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Underglass Custom Framing is a San Francisco Castro District custom framing and in-house printing shop founded in 1985, serving individual consumers, local artists, and Bay Area businesses with museum-quality archival framing, ready-made frames, and delivery services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Underglass Custom Framing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Underglass Custom Framing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Framing Services: One-time custom framing services ordered and paid for in person at the shop or by phone. No online payment for framing. Prices quoted per project based on materials, design complexity, and frame selection.
- Custom Printing Services: Online ordering available for custom prints with pickup at the Market Street storefront. Prints are produced in-house on premium papers and canvas. Online payments accepted via secure third-party platform.
- Gift Certificates: Physical gift certificates available for purchase in-store. E-gift cards available via Square. Gift certificates can only be used for in-store purchases.
- Delivery and Installation Services: White-glove delivery service within San Francisco. Professional installation services offered for framed art. Delivery booked via text link once order is ready.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Custom Framing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Underglass Custom Framing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Underglass Custom Framing provides museum-quality custom picture framing for fine art, photographs, documents, canvas, textiles, jerseys, and dimensional or oversized pieces, using archival materials and reversible conservation techniques at its walk-in retail shop in San Francisco's Castro District. The shop also offers in-house photo and fine art printing with online ordering and pickup, alongside ready-made frames, white-glove delivery within San Francisco, and professional installation services.
Product overview
Underglass Custom Framing offers a comprehensive suite of custom framing and printing services. The core offerings include Custom Framing Services (personalized framing for fine art, photographs, documents, canvas, textiles, dimensional objects, and oversized art) and Custom Printing (in-house printing on various paper types including premium photo paper, fine art cotton rag, and canvas). Additional services include White Glove Delivery within San Francisco, Professional Installation with precise measurements and lighting considerations, and Gift Certificates. The company also offers ready-made frames for quick framing needs. All custom framing is performed using museum-quality conservation techniques with archival materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Custom Framing Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 40+ years in continuous operation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Underglass Custom Framing
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Underglass Custom Framing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Underglass Custom Framing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Underglass Custom Framing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- San Francisco Custom Framing (local independents): Independent custom frame shops across San Francisco serve the same local resident, artist, and gallery customer with similar museum-quality services, competing on location, design taste, and turnaround time.
- Master Framers of California: Master Framers is a long-established Bay Area custom framing shop with a similar museum-quality positioning, competing for the same local art collector and gallery customer in Northern California.
Broad incumbents
- Michaels: Michaels is a national craft retailer offering in-store custom framing alongside broad art supplies — a broader incumbent that competes on convenience and price rather than on conservation quality.
- Blick Art Materials: Blick is a national art supplies retailer with custom framing services in select stores — competing for the artist and serious-hobbyist customer with a wider product portfolio.
- Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts: Jo-Ann is a national craft and fabric retailer offering in-store custom framing — a broad incumbent with overlapping framing services but a hobbyist rather than museum-quality positioning.
Direct peers
- Simply Framed: Simply Framed is an online-first custom framing service offering made-to-order frames with curated styles — competing for the same premium custom framing buyer with a digital-first, no-storefront model.
- Framebridge: Framebridge is a direct-to-consumer custom framing company with online ordering, drop-off locations, and a retail footprint — competing for the same custom framing customer with a digitally-led, scaled model.
- American Frame: American Frame is an online retailer of custom and ready-made picture frames serving artists, photographers, and framers — overlapping with Underglass on materials, sizing, and the professional framing customer.
- Frame Destination: Frame Destination is an online retailer specializing in picture framing supplies, ready-made frames, and custom framing services for artists and photographers — directly overlapping on framing materials and the professional framing buyer.
Emerging players
- Level Frames: Level Frames is a digitally-native custom framing brand offering curated frame styles online — an emerging player targeting the same design-conscious consumer with a low-touch, shipping-only model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Underglass Custom Framing social profiles
Digital presenceUnderglass Custom Framing compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Underglass Custom Framing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Underglass Custom Framing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Underglass Custom Framing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Underglass Custom Framing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Underglass Custom Framing
What does Underglass Custom Framing do?
Underglass Custom Framing provides museum-quality custom picture framing for fine art, photographs, documents, canvas, textiles, jerseys, and dimensional or oversized pieces, using archival materials and reversible conservation techniques at its walk-in retail shop in San Francisco's Castro District. The shop also offers in-house photo and fine art printing with online ordering and pickup, alongside ready-made frames, white-glove delivery within San Francisco, and professional installation services.
Is Underglass Custom Framing a public or private company?
Underglass Custom Framing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Underglass Custom Framing founded?
Underglass Custom Framing was founded in 1985. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Underglass Custom Framing based?
Underglass Custom Framing is headquartered in South San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Underglass Custom Framing make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Framing Services are the primary driver. The others are custom Printing Services, gift Certificates and delivery and Installation Services.
Who are Underglass Custom Framing's main competitors?
Regional players on record are San Francisco Custom Framing (local independents) and Master Framers of California. Broad incumbents are Michaels, Blick Art Materials and Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts. Direct peers are Simply Framed, Framebridge, American Frame and Frame Destination. Level Frames is listed as an emerging player.
Does Underglass Custom Framing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Underglass Custom Framing.