Gallery 2000

I had the poor fortune of choosing Gallery 2000 for a very simple, straight forward project. I needed a small sized poster (24×19 inches) framed, and stopped by the store for a quote. I was initially quoted $ 104 for a basic black frame with a mat. I wanted to consider other options, so I told the clerk I’d be back. When I came back, I was informed that the quote was miscalculated, and that I would have to pay $ 123 for just a frame (matting not included). I figured it seemed a bit overpriced, but the location was convenient to my apartment so I bit the bullet. What a mistake. I was told it would take no more than three weeks for the work to be complete. After 4 weeks passed, I eventually called the store hoping for an explanation. I was assured the frame would arrive in a few days, and that the work would be promptly completed upon arrival. After another 5 days passed, I stopped by to see what issue was now plaguing the process. I was surprised to find that the basic black frame (touted as a stock frame) was actually backordered. I was not informed of the delay until I pressed them for more information, and was told that additional time would be required in order to complete the work. After speaking with the owner and the clerk (who were badly misaligned in their understanding of the situation), I proposed a solution: provide some form of a discount, throw in a mat at additional cost, or provide a refund. They chose the refund, explaining that it would be «inhumane» for them to provide a discount in discount season. I am baffled by Gallery 2000’s inability to execute on the most basic and core service that a framing store offers: framing. If you’re in search of needless hassle, poor customer service, and bad project execution, go to Gallery 2000; you will be delighted. I’m bummed I can’t give zero stars.

I went in to frame a painting I’d previously talked to Jeanine about, and the guy staffing the shop for the day was incredibly argumentative and rude and told me he hated working there and was sick of people complaining and that he had had it with the whole shop and was going to quit. And then refused to take the order or even let me leave the painting for someone else to work on. It was among the shittiest customer service transactions I’ve had. He became hostile initially after I asked him to not yank on the packaging on a 30-​year old painting with enormous sentimental value during the unwrapping of the piece for sizing, and then verbally abusive and insulting as I attempted to complete the transaction but found myself confused by his recommendations and statements. I have had many paintings framed and he actually did not know what he was talking about wrt to either stretching or canvas — which must be why he had been, apparently, on the receiving end of so many complaints that he was at the end of his rope before I even walked in. Definitely not going there again.

I’ve been waiting a long time to get a weird-​sized poster framed, and they did a great job with that. They’re really friendly (new manager) and will stop to chat with you and help you make decisions on framing, really happy with what they suggested and what they produced! I will be returning.

My friend and I were organizing an art workshop at The World Children’s Festival and stopped by Gallery 2000 frame store on our way. Jeanine was incredibly helpful, friendly, efficient, and accommodating. She spent time listening to our needs and provided insightful suggestions that assisted in making the workshop a success. I highly recommend stopping by if you are in DC and need to purchase frames.

Got a great deal on a pre-​framed print, the owner was extremely nice and personable. I needed a last minute gift and I found something perfect. I will definitely be returning.

I didn’t read reviews before I dropped off prints at this place to be matted, so after reading them I was pretty nervous. However, I received my items on time (they said 2 weeks) and did a good job. I will probably go back because it’s in a convenient location for me and no major issues occurred.

Twice, I’ve ordered mats from Gallery 2000 and been pleasantly surprised by both the speed of turn around time and the cost. Both aspects make me a fan of Gallery 2000. Cost and time aside, the service has always been friendly as well.
When in need of framing, Gallery 2000 will be my place of choice.

Like other customers of Gallery 2000, I really wished I read the reviews beforehand! My really simple framing job took three months to be completed. The instructions on my order weren’t followed on two occassions, and the two times I sent it back required a month for me to see the progress. They don’t call and you need to be proactive about having your order completed. No rush service was provided to speed up the order.
Beyond a few apologies from the staff, no discount or other offer was made. The end result of the framing is fine, but not spectacular. I find it frustrating that management doesn’t seem to read nor care of their review because they simpy have not fixed their many service problems.

I wish so much I had read the Unilocal reviews before taking my stuff to Gallery 2000. As everyone on here stated, they said it would be ready in two weeks. It has now been three. I told them I was coming to pick my stuff up and they promised Tuesday. Hopefully, I will not regret giving them the extra days.

Stay far, far away! There are too many framing galleries to tolerate slow, rude service and poor quality. It took 10 weeks for our job (a tapistry framed «shadow-​box» style) to be completed, even though a 3 week turnaround was promised. As with other reviews, never a call, never an update from the shop. Furthermore, one time when we went in to inquire and were impatient (at this point they’d had our money for 7 weeks, with ZERO progress on our framing job), we were treated most rudely by the staff. They actually snickered at us as we walked out, frustrated. And now the salt in the wound… after less than a year, it’s coming apart. It appears they didn’t glue the matting to the sides of the shadow box properly because all around the sides of the shadow box it’s coming up. Run away, run away!

I would say slow…
but the result for my experience was pretty good.
They never call you, so it s better to be little bit pushy.

Sorry, Annie D… the place has a deservedly bad rap. I ended up here by accident — I confused it with another place — and regretted it for nearly 4 months. Which is how long my simple frame job (a wedding present!) took to complete — because they screwed up the mat, gave me a second version with dirty glass, lost it in the factory, etc. The stoner guys are nice, I guess, but ineffective, and the owner just doesn’t get it – he fought his own staff over a discount that they offered me by way of apology for all the crap I dealt with. Go to Picasso Gallery, down the street.

I think this place has a bad wrap. Mostly the guys who work here just seem like stoners.
Yes, it’s true that they are slooooooooooow. We took a picture here to be stretched and the guy behind the counter said it would take two weeks. Two weeks! But okay, since I have zero knowledge of how framing and stretching works, two weeks it is. The good news? The nice stoner behind the counter let us bargain a little about the price (this stuff is NOT cheap). And he was friendly, so we walked out feeling A-​OK.
Two weeks later, we hadn’t heard from the nice stoner behind the counter, so we called the shop and he said «Oh, yeah, it’ll just take me 40 minutes to stretch that thing, so you can come pick it up anytime.» Wait… it only takes 40 minutes?!
So yes, they were slow. But creepy and rude? No way. Three stars for being nice and having some flexibility with the price. (And when I went to pick up the picture the next day, it was, in fact, stretched.)

The runaround with these guys was simply obnoxious. Dropped off a print in late December for a framing job. Was told the work would be done in mid-​January. Never head back from them for a month. Started calling them in late January. Sometimes they would call back, sometimes not. At one point they didn’t know the whereabouts of my work, which is when I started reading the other reviews here, and I began to panic.
In early February (5 weeks after dropping off the work), I called twice, and the second time the called me and told me my work was there. Wasn’t able to get to them during business hours until a few days later, but when I get there the person at the counter tells me he saw a defect in the work, and that he «probably should have called me to tell me not to come in to pick it up.» I responded, «yes, that probably would have been helpful.» I am told it will «probably» be ready in a couple days.
Nine days later I call, and I am informed that they’ve ordered materials, but they haven’t arrived. I go in and get my print back, and ask for a refund. They refused. Seven weeks of waiting to lose over a hundred and fifty bucks. These guys are just awful.

AWFUL!!! Truly unbelievable. I had them frame a photo collage of recently deceased father. Was weeks late, phone calls never returned, and when I finally went to get it, over a month later, it was done incorrectly. I asked that they fix it (using non-​glare glass, which I had selected and paid extra for), and again there was weeks and weeks of not hearing anything, phone calls not returned, calling and they couldn’t locate it (they don’t even have a computer! They just scribble down orders and put them in a shoe box, creating inventory and tracking chaos). Finally called and was told it was ready. Went to pick it up… and they had once again framed it with the wrong glass… New staff was embarrassed and apologetic, and gave 50% refund. I’ll have another store do it (Embassy Camera on Connecticut Ave is excellent). I have never experienced such hassle, aggravation and disappointment. I had earlier experienced inconvenience with them, but at least the work turned out well in the end. Someone put this dying business out of its misery!

Terrible.
I went in to get one custom frame and 3 mat boards cut. The mat boards were cut in a color I didn’t want, I’ll chalk that up to mis-​communication, but the following were their screw ups:
(1) calling me to tell me my order is ready, but only 1 piece is.
(2) mat boards in different whites — one ivory, one white for a set of photos
(3) telling me they would cut my mat boards that day and then when I return in 7 days, they say they’re at the other store
(4) telling me my order would be 2 – 3 weeks, when the entire process took 7 weeks and 6 days.
5 trips to that store.

Run away to ANY other framer. We brought a painting in to have a simple glass replacement after it cracked during a move. Not only did they lose the order and the painting for two months, they didn’t call us when they actually found it. They offered us nothing, in return for our inconvenience, not even an apology. When we went to go pick it up we watched the guy yanking it out from between other orders with little care that he might be scratching he frame… as it turns out… he did. So $ 40 and two and a half months later we wound up with new glass, four trips to the store, no apology and a scratched picture frame. In this economy, why not give your business to a store that cares about their customers? You have been warned… carry on.

The framing job I had done at Gallery 2000 actually turned out well. They have a wide selection of frames and matting to choose from. The price was decent considering that all framing is expensive.
The issues I have were the day I went to select the frame they opened 15 minutes late. Wanting to get there when they first opened, I was standing outside holding artwork on 17^th Street for 20 minutes feeling like a fool.
They called me to say my artwork was ready to be picked up. I specifically asked «What time do you open tomorrow morning» and then stated, «OK I’ll be there first thing»
Well, guess what, he opened 10 minutes late when I went to pick up my artwork. Buy a better alarm clock!