Focus On: Johnsons Frames & More

BY BILLY BRUCE
The Valdosta Daily Times

May 03, 2008 07:47 pm

— HAHIRA — Hahirans may have missed the more than two decades of customer care and community service bestowed on them by E.D. Johnson when he decided to close his popular picture frame shop and retire in 2002.
But they’ll be delighted to know that Johnson and his family have decided to carry on the traditions he began in 1980 with a brand new shop, Johnsons Frames and More.
Since mid-March, Johnson’s daughter Linda Light, his son Danny Johnson and Linda’s husband Gerry Light have teamed up to open the new shop at 109 S. Church St. just up the street from the Packhouse Market across from City Hall and Merle Norman Cosmetics.
Ironically, it took a few more retirements to cause the reformation to occur.
It started in 2005 when Danny Johnson, living in Winter Park, Fla., retired as a U.S. postal worker and moved back to Hahira.
Then in 2007, Linda and Gerry Light retired and still live in Valdosta. Gerry is a physician specializing in nephrology.
“We decided to do this as a family venture so we could all be together,” Gerry said. “Mr. Johnson had the frame shop for a very long time. He always did a very good job and served his customers very well. He offered good individual service at a very reasonable price. But it was more than just a business. It was a way of life and a service to the community.”
As the patriarch and founder E.D. Johnson proudly listened, Light explained how the family will now continue to maintain the principles he established years ago.
“We want to use the same approach to take care of our customers on an individual basis at a reasonable price,” Light said. “But we also want to remain active as members of our community. You may have seen us all at last Sunday’s meeting on the proposed widening of Old U.S. 41. We care about our town. Doing business here is just one way to participate.”

Q: What makes your picture framing capabilities stand out above the rest?

A: (Linda Light) We have a state-of-the-art computerized matte machine that can cut very unique mattes for our customers’ photos. It’s very accurate and is driven by the latest software applications. For example, it can cut out the name of your loved one or a pet to accent a photo, or place an oval shape or other ornate shape opening over the photo to accent it. Danny cuts the frames at a different location and we put it all together here in the rear workshop. We have ready made frames but do custom framing as well.

Q: Do you sell any artwork for home or office decoration?

A: (Danny Johnson) Yes. We sell prints and oil paintings by Lillian Brooks and Eddie Norris. Brooks is well known in this area and does country scenes like farms, old cars, tractors, barns. She lives in Tennessee. Norris was president of First State Bank here but now lives in Columbus. He was artist of the year in Georgia in 1999.

Q: The word “more” appears in your business name. What “more” do you sell?

A: We have designer jewelry by Emily Ray, Cynthia Bloom and others… necklaces, bracelets, etc. And we hope to offer more kinds of products and merchandise very soon.

Q: How well does the family unit act as a team under business oriented circumstances?

A: (Gerry Light) It’s wonderful. It’s a family affair. If you can have fun doing what you do, it makes it all worthwhile. We have a lot of fun together.

Johnsons Frames & More
Address: 109 S. Church Street
Phone: 229-794-4090
Owners: The Johnson Family
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 12 noon Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday.

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