Huntington Art Center Celebrates 60 Years in Huntington Village

Wendy Curtis and Tom Northrop, co-owners of Huntington Art Center, took over the 60-year-old location two years ago, offering quality experience and personal service. Long Islander News photo/Janee Law

By Janee Law
jlaw@longislandergroup.com

The Huntington Art Center, a 60-year-old shop in Huntington village, isn’t just a custom photo framing shop, offering a variety of services and making advances in digital work.

“New printing is all the rave now so we’re trying to learn about it and be able to offer our customers all the new different technologies for printing things, like printing on aluminum, glass, plexi, and being able to have customers email us a picture so we can print it, frame it, deliver it, and hang it,” Wendy Curtis, co-owner, said.

Located at 11 Wall St. in Huntington village, the shop opened up in 1957. Curtis and co-owner Tom Northrop took over the 1,000-square-foot location two years ago.

Offering more than 1,000 styles of framing, the shop crafts all sizes of custom framing for photos, mirrors, shadow boxes and more. Frames styles include classic, contemporary, modern, traditional, and reclaimed wood, which is currently a popular fashion.

“We had a customer come in with a Elvis Presley movie poster that’s 4-by-5-feet, so even size is not an issue,” Curtis, 48, of Huntington, said.

Curtis and Northrop also deliver the work to customers and install the piece in their homes.

“It’s great because we get to use all of our creative faculties and our tools in picking out frames,” Northrop, 52, of Huntington, said. “We try to help clients focus on what their needs are in their home.”

With 30 years of experience in custom framing, Curtis is also a photographer and Northrop a painter. At the shop, the duo also provides photo and art restorations, digital imaging and repair work on frames.

In addition, the business also showcases and sells local artwork from fine art, photography, jewelry, blown glass and pottery.

“I like the creativity and I love being able to help people pick something beautiful for a customer’s home,” Curtis said. “It’s a very satisfying business to be in. It makes customers smile to have a beautiful piece of art on their wall. It’s always upbeat, positive and fun.”

Curtis added that she promotes local artwork by connecting clients with artists in the area. With that, she also initiated the annual Huntington Art Walk as a way to highlight art galleries in Huntington village. She said it’s significant for them to build upon the community spirit with the arts.

When the business opened 60 years ago, it offered art supplies, a gallery and classes, highlighting its name. Although it has moved to custom framing and offering gallery work, Northrop said they kept the name to keep with tradition.

Along with quality experience, store owners also offer friendly service.

“We like to talk to people and when people come in and we get that personal connection,” Northrop said. “There’s a very small town community aspect to it that we like to foster, where you’re not just a number. We’re going to make a connection with them.”