Changing with the times

This year has certainly been a challenge for the team at Atishoo Gallery and Picture Framers, but it’s also been an opportunity to stop and take stock. 

After the initial shock of being told to close the physical shop, explains Atishoo Gallery owner, Liz Hackney, “we quickly realised that this was the perfect time to expand our online offering. Although we’ve had a website for 20 years and an online shop for the past 10, not everything we sold was online. There just hadn’t been the time to photograph and upload the vast amount of art and crafts we had on display in the past. Now, almost everything that you see in our gallery is available online too, with options for national or local delivery, as well as local pick up for those customers who would rather not visit the shop in person during these strange times.”

Not only did this help to maintain a small income during the three months Atishoo Gallery was closed, Liz reveals, “it also put us in a great place for the run up to Christmas, where our shopping habits will no doubt be very different this year!”

Liz and co. also took the lockdown as a chance to change the way they offer their bespoke picture framing service: “As part of our Covid-19 secure risk assessment, we felt that moving to an appointments system would help with keeping staff and customers safe in the shop. It’s actually worked really well and is something we will carry on even after the pandemic is over. Each customer is given a 30-minute or 60-minute consultation appointment, depending on how many pieces of work they want to frame. Customer feedback has been really positive, as they know there isn’t another customer hovering behind them waiting in the queue, and that they have the time to make decisions on their framing choices.”

The gallery and shop is open from Tuesday to Saturday, but be sure to check the website for the most up-to-date opening times. If you’d like to request an appointment for framing, either give the gallery a call or drop the team an email. Finally, in the run up to Christmas, it’s well worth noting that Atishoo Gallery does get very busy with framing, so in order to avoid disappointment, we highly recommend booking early!

Atishoo Gallery and Picture Framers
71 Charlestown Road, Charlestown,
St Austell PL25 3NL
01726 65900
www.atishoogallery.co.uk