Centenarian: Burlingame Shop Turns 100

The Studio Shop is celebrating a significant birthday. The fine art gallery and custom picture frame business in Burlingame is turning 100 years old.

Since 1915 The Studio Shop has been a business dedicated to craftsmanship, and to innovations in frame design, materials, and processes. Today three generations of clients attest to the archival quality of custom picture framing The Studio Shop dedicates itself to, and to the personal service the designers provide.

Owners Janet and Carl Martin, and Janet’s sister, Kristen Benson, run the business today. The sisters’ parents, John and Martha Benson, owned the business from 1955 until 1994, raising their daughters cleaning glass, and cutting frame mouldings in the back of the shop after school.

The Studio Shop has two locations today--244 Primrose Road, Burlingame and at 350 Peninsula Avenue, San Mateo.

At both of The Studio Shop locations each picture frame design is approached to protect the art archivally and enhance it aesthetically. They carry among the largest selection of frame samples in the S.F. Bay Area, including welded steel frames, 22-karat gold museum frames, and hand-carved leather frames from Peru. Their team of designers, and framers are artisans as much as the artists the gallery showcases and carries.

--All photos courtesy The Studio Shop