Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Colbert.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My grandparents, Tom and Mary Colbert, started the business in 1987. My grandpa was doing picture framing out of his workroom in his house. He just liked working with his hands. He had been a retail manager for 30 years and he retired, but he wasn’t done working yet. Tom and Mary decided, just as a retirement project, to open up a framing store, so they bought into a franchise.
The franchise ended up going bankrupt but my grandparents kept their store. In 1994 my dad, Kevin Colbert, bought the business from them and we continued to grow in our abilities and relationship with the community here. I have been working in the store since high school. I gradually started taking on more and more and more responsibilities in the business, which led to management after I graduated from college in 2007.
A couple years ago, the idea of buying the business from my parents became a topic, and in January 2017 I did just that.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Every small business has its ups and downs and has seasons of trial and seasons of success. These seasons can be marked by years, months, even moments. Our personal trials and successes have ranged from relationships with employees and customers to marketing ventures, to sales volume, to cultivating creativity, as well as motivation to act on an idea or need. But in all seasons, my family believes the words from Psalm 24:1 in the Bible, which say “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it”. By God’s grace, we are learning to be content in all circumstances and wish to impact the community in the same way.
One specific challenge relates to our capability to do so much more than what we are doing. There is so much we can do for residential and corporate clients – physically getting products or ourselves out to other places or people coming out to us is a challenge, but even there we are learning and growing and getting better.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We do custom picture framing and custom art printing. Anything that you want to display up on the wall. … Literally anything – sports memorabilia, sports items, fine art, photographs. We do our own custom giclee printing. We can take any image that is not copyrighted, print it any size. We do all the framing and printing work ourselves, in-house.
We are known for our exceptional designs, ingenuity, and excellent client experience. Our slogan is “You’re Going to Love It” and we are proud that this is what we so often hear when clients see their finished project.
We are also proud of the long-standing relationships with our customers and the community in which we live and work. Although Naperville is very transient, it’s also a place where people come back to. We have families, multiple generations, that come back to the store. They are very supportive of local business.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was curious about people and experiences. I loved the many exchange students my family hosted, as well as the educational family vacations my brothers and I were taken on. Interests included reading (lots of historical fiction), church activities, and music – I still enjoy playing piano and violin at church and with friends.
Though quite petite for my age, I was very active and enthusiastically pursued projects such as lemonade stands, babysitting, running short-distance road races, and participating in many YMCA or park district programs, to name a few.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1283 South Naper Blvd
- Website: https://www.colbertcustomframing.com/
- Phone: 630-717-1448
- Email: service@colbertcf.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colbertcustomframing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColbertCustomFramingArtPrinting/?ref=bookmarks
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/colbert-custom-framing-and-art-printing-naperville
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
