Having her own downtown shop is a goal Connie Cuthbertson has been nurturing for more than a decade–and one that’s about to become a reality for the local artist in about four months.
Cuthbertson is planning to set up shop at 273 Scott St. in early April.
“It’s been in the works for quite a while. I’ve always planned to move downtown but I [also] wanted to be at home when my children were growing up,” she said last week.
The building, owned by Dave Murray of here, is currently the site of his business, “Master Media.” But Murray said tentative plans are to divide the interior of the store, with Cuthbertson taking one of those spots.
“I’m looking at subdividing the space. That seems to be the only viable solution right now,” he said Friday.
Murray would not elaborate on the issue any further.
In the meantime, Cuthbertson is gearing up to face all the details that come with opening up her shop.
“I’ll be busy with renovations and stock. There’s a million things to do [beforehand],” she admitted.
“[But] the location is perfect. I prefer that side of the street because I will be able to put things in the window and not worry about them getting faded,” she reasoned.
Cuthbertson plans to offer much the same stock in her new shop as she does now through her home-based business, “CC Pictures and Frames,” including limited edition prints and some of her own original watercolours.
“It’s not like starting a new business. I have a base of customers and a track record with my framing,” she noted. “And the prints have gone well over the last while, too.”
Also on the shelf will be some unique displays of giftware she hopes will enhance the atmosphere of her business.
“I’ll have giftware, not in a huge way, just something to complement,” she explained. “There’s a gambit of different things I could do but I’m leaning towards theme areas, like a wildlife section.”
Cuthbertson could not confirm the name she had chosen for the downtown shop pending some final details.
If there’s one thing she is not sure of it’s how she will juggle her own painting time with the hours she spends managing the shop.
But by the same token, moving the rather large array of retail and framing stock out of her studio will provide some much-needed space for those art brushes and canvasses.
“That’s the tricky part. For the first while I know a lot of my time will be taken up downtown but, eventually, I hope to spend half of my time working the shop and half in the studio here at home,” she said.
“[And] it will be heaven! I’ll have my studio back,” she enthused.
“When I was busy doing a commission before Christmas, I had actually moved my painting to the kitchen table, and that’s just not acceptable,” she laughed.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
