Lansdale Small Business Spotlight: North Penn Art

There’s a story lurking behind the glass pane of every shop, and there’s oftentimes an innovative individual whose entrepreneurial spirit is helping to shape the town.

Our small business series shines a light on local business owners in the community.

Business name: North Penn Art

Owner: Paul Kraynak

Address: 720 S. Broad Street, Lansdale, PA 19446

Website: www.NorthPennArt.com

When did you go into business?

North Penn Art was formed in 1960 and was purchased in 1982 by Paul Kraynak.

How did you come up with the name?

When the business was started in 1960 it was originally an “Art Supply” store in the “North Penn” region then moved over to framing, engraving, and giclee printing in the 1980s.

Why start a business here?

The original owner, Joseph Kraynak was very familiar with this region. Joe started North Penn Art as an art supply shop on Main street in 1966, then moved to green street in 1969 and then moved to its current location and became a framing shop in 1978. Paul, the son of Joe, lived in the house and took over the business in 1982.

Briefly, what business are you in?

Custom Framing, such as heirlooms and TVs, display boxes for preserving certain memorabilia, and Giclee printing (use of ink-jet printing to make reproductions of original two-dimensional artwork, photographs, or computer-generated art).

What’s the most difficult moment or challenge you’ve faced as a business owner?

Being a shop that started by completing all tasks by hand; cutting, measuring, and assembling, the biggest challenge we faced was technology, especially the the Apple computer. When Apple came out with editing software, templates and printing options, it made us change our business model and forced us to become more competitive. We are proud to say we stay up-to-date with the latest technology and inventions!

What’s been your favorite moment/proudest achievement since opening?

Our proudest moment was being able to stay in business throughout all the economic changes in the world. From technological inventions to economic recession we managed to adapt to the changes by increasing our knowledge within the industry to continue running a successful business. We are experts in framing and devoted to framing the treasures of your life!

How does your business give back/get involved in the community?

North Penn Art is highly involved with the community. We are always looking to become involved with local charities and events. North Penn Art also works with local artists throughout the year. The shop is transferred to a gallery for local artists twice a year. In October North Penn Art is hosting the Oreland Art Center Show and in November North Penn Art is hosting the North Penn Arts Alliance Show. This is at no cost to the organizations. We wanted to help the organizations find a venue to display their work. We also have a section on our website titled “local artists”. This is to help local artists build their SEO and possibly sell their artwork through our website. This is the Local Artists link:http://northpennart.com/local-artists/