Get to Know the Market: Queen Anne Frame

We wouldn’t have a thriving farmers’ market in Queen Anne without the help of loyal and generous sponsors. This week we decided to reach out to Queen Anne Frame and Gift owners—Kirsty and Nick Papadopulos—to learn why the QAFM is so important to them and how they are navigating the new normal as a retailer on Queen Anne Avenue.  

Q: How did you get started at QA Frame?

A: We purchased QA Frame & Gift four years ago. The couple who owned the shop had it for 28 years and wanted to retire. We live in Queen Anne and were looking for a way to be more involved in our community and have more time to spend with our family. Our boys were 5 and 6 at the time and our current jobs were more demanding than we wanted.

Q: We know you are more than a frame store. Tell us what else you sell and do that people in QA might not know about.

A: We also have a gift shop with a focus on local and handmade items. We try to carry unique products you can’t easily find at other places. We also love the stories behind our products and vendors, so you can feel good knowing who you are supporting. We carry home goods, jewelry, accessories and lots of plants!

Q: We heard you had to shut down right after you reopened in June. How is the recovery going? 

A: We had a sewer pipe back up into the back of our shop mid-June. We had only been open a couple weeks after shelter in home and were forced to close again to replace the floors and repair the furniture and structures. It took seven weeks but we are open once again, we still have a few more projects until the shop is complete, but we couldn’t wait any longer to open our doors! The support from fellow QA businesses and the patience of our customers meant so much to us, we are so grateful.  

Q: You've always been a big supporter of local causes. You sponsored my brother’s Queen Anne Little League team last year and you’ve been a QAFM sponsor for several years. Tell us why the community--specifically QAFM—is always a top priority for you two?

A: Part of owning this shop is being able to do big things in small ways. We also live in Queen Anne and our kids attend school in this neighborhood. It’s super important to us to invest in our community. The QAFM is one of our very favorite parts of living here and is part of the heart and soul of our neighborhood. We sponsor a little league team and work with the schools in Queen Anne to help with their auction fundraisers. We have also been able to help decorate homes for humble design, an organization that furnishes homes for previously homeless families in Seattle. We are always looking for new ways to use our shops resources to give back.

Q: How long have you sponsored the market? Do you have a favorite vendor that you buy from each week? 

A: This is our third year.  It’s so hard to choose our favorites!  We try to buy from different farmers and vendors each time and would eat dinner there every Thursday.

Q: You do so much for the community. How can neighbors support you?

A: By supporting our shop through purchasing items from our gift shop and choosing us for custom framing we are able to support this community. It means so much to have had the support of our community, especially during these last few months. We are currently doing custom framing by appointment to keep our community safe. Our gift shop is open!  But you can also shop our website www.queenanneframe.com and even pickup curbside or have it delivered.

Q: What's next for QA Frame? Is there anything new coming that we should know about?

A: Good question! We are always dreaming but right now after 7 tough weeks we are looking forward to a few summer adventures with our kids and planning for a fall of homeschooling. I think for now we are just hopeful that we will get to keep our doors open to the community as we navigate a pandemic together. Of course, we’ve been hunting for new awesome vendors to bring into the gift shop. We love shopping!