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About Tandem Brick Gallery |
Making it Personal
Phillip Lasansky, son of well-known Argentinean artist Maurico Lasansky and brother of artist Tom Lasansky, has been coming to Tandem Brick for two years. “Not only is [Anderson] highly skilled and top-shelf when it comes to the technical aspects of framing, she’s very personal in the way she relates with customers, first-time or otherwise,” he said.
Lasansky, president and art director of Lasansky Corp, based in Iowa City, sells his father’s work in western Iowa. He happened upon Tandem Brick when he came to Des Moines looking for a new framer for his brother and father’s art. “[Anderson] didn’t know me from Adam, but I walked into [Tandem Brick] and she was very accommodating. She showed me every detail of her operation,” Lasansky said, adding that many of Maurico Lasansky’s prints are as large as 7.5 by 4 feet. “You have to know what you’re doing in terms of handling paper that size. It’s really a skill you have to have as a framer.”
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| Aaron Tinder, a framer with Tandem Brick for several years, knows what it means to win customers’ trust. He begins by providing them with the information they need to make informed decisions about what they want for their art. Telling them that Tandem Brick uses only acid-free materials is a good place to start, Tinder said, because it leads to discussion of glass and backing materials.
To Tinder, honesty is of utmost importance. “If a piece doesn’t need conservation glass, I won’t try to sell it to a customer. It’s more important in the long run to make sure that the customers know that they can trust you, regardless of how that might slightly affect your profit margin,” he says.
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The bottom line, Tinder explains, is that Tandem Brick Gallery’s regular customers recognize it as a business that consistently offers excellent, personal service. “I know that sounds like we’re just blowing our own horn,” he says, “but Tandem Brick really is a good example of something that’s becoming more difficult to find—a relatively small, independently owned business that is successful primarily because of the kind of service we provide.”
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Establishing Confidence
Anderson believes her frame shop works because she pays attention to her customers’ needs. “Our customers feel that they area a part of our business. They are the reason we have been here for 28 years,” she says. “Tandem Brick’s orders are taken only by experienced framers so customers are confident that their artwork is in good hands.”
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Doing the right job means Tandem Brick has few returns, Anderson says. “When our customers are happy with the finished product, not only will they come back, but they will tell others.”
Des Moines is a great place to own a frame gallery, Anderson says, since many residents choose to support local business and artists. She attributes the city’s demand for fine custom framing to its scene, which is bolstered by three universities with excellent art programs, corporations with extensive art collections, a well-endowed public art center, and a huge summer arts festival.
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