Start a picture framing shop
Run a small framing shop with a workshop out the back, serving walk-in customers, galleries and trade clients.
- A$20k-80k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A small shopfront or unit with a display wall and a workshop, offering custom framing, mounting, canvas stretching and ready-made frames.
Your first three steps
- Gain hands-on experience with an established framer and learn the pricing and workflow of a busy shop
- Scout affordable premises near homes, galleries or offices, and check the lease terms and costs carefully
- Open accounts with moulding and glass suppliers and approach local galleries, artists and designers for trade work
Who pays
Walk-in households, galleries, artists, photographers, interior designers, businesses and sports clubs wanting memorabilia framed.
How it makes money
Custom frame sales priced by size and materials, trade work for repeat clients, and add-on sales such as ready-made frames and hanging services.
Skills that help
- Professional framing and mounting techniques
- Design advice and upselling
- Pricing and quoting
- Managing stock, rent and a small team
Watch out for
- Lease commitments and rent, so work out your break-even before signing
- Public liability, contents and business insurance, plus workers compensation insurance once you hire staff
- Check council zoning and fit-out requirements for your premises
- Quiet periods and dependence on a few trade clients
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: picture framing shop
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to open a picture framing shop in Australia?
Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $80,000, depending on your premises, fit-out, workshop equipment and opening stock. These are estimates, so build your own budget from real quotes before you sign anything.
How much revenue can a picture framing shop make?
Monthly revenue is typically around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on your location, trade clients and how well you sell design advice. This is an estimate only, and a shop usually needs around 35 hours a week or more to run.
What should I check before leasing a framing shop?
Work out your break-even before signing a lease, and check council zoning and fit-out requirements for the premises. Also check public liability, contents and business insurance, workers compensation once you hire staff, and quiet periods or reliance on a few trade clients.
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