When people walk through the door of Midtown Framer and Art, Carol Bubnick instantly draws them in with her infectious smile and bubbly personality. She seems to know each and every customer — and if she doesn’t, she will by the time they leave.

But for the Bubnick family, Midtown Framer is much more than a frame shop.

“My husband Danny was from Canada, and he had a friend with a frame shop,” she said. “When his friend became a paraplegic, (Danny) would cut frames for him. That’s how he got started in framing.”

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Danny Bubnick later moved to Memphis and worked for BA Framer for 20 years where he built an impressive clientele.

“Danny always talked about starting his own business — he was quite the innovator,” Carol Bubnick said.

Carol Bubnick and her late husband, Danny, did just that when they opened Midtown Framer in 2009. They wanted to have a space that housed not only a frame shop and production facility but also an art gallery to support and cultivate local up-and-coming artists.

“Art is very personal and enriching,” Carol Bubnick said. “The environment (at Midtown Framer) isn’t a typical frame shop or gallery. We want people to feel comfortable.”

Midtown Framer, located at 1523 Union Ave., boasts a large art gallery in the front of the building in addition to a design studio and production rooms in the back. It specializes in custom framing, custom mirrors, original art and art prints in the 6,000-square-foot space.

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Danny Bubnick passed away in 2018, and his family has made it a priority to continue with the shop’s mission.

“My husband focused on quality materials and a great customer experience,” Carol Bubnick said. “Nothing has changed.”

Carol and Danny Bubnick’s son, Joseph, is the store manager, and younger sister Anna hopes to officially join the business once she graduates from the University of Memphis.

“It’s peaceful working with my hands,” Joseph Bubnick said. “I never know what people will bring in to have framed. It can be anything from a wedding dress to a photo.”

Carol Bubnick also works for Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp., and Midtown Framer continues to be heavily involved in the health care organization’s signature event, Art of Caring. The event honored Danny Bubnick in 2019 after he died. 

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“I lost my husband and business partner all in one setting,” Carol Bubnick said. “We want to continue to support artists and the local community.”

Anna Bubnick will graduate from the University of Memphis in 2024 and plans to help with the marketing side of Midtown Framer, handling the website and social media, among other things.

“I love that we continue my dad’s legacy through every frame,” Anna Bubnick said. “It’s great when art uplifts people, and my dad shines through to all of this.”