Print shop and framing business Freeman Victorius, which has been a store on the Corner for more than 60 years, is moving locations in the next couple months because of an increase in property rent.
Current Freeman Victorius owner Richard Freeman said the business is moving to 507 West Main Street starting either at the end of October or the beginning of November.
“There has been an increase in rent, that is dramatic, drastic,” Freeman said. “It’s about four times what I’ve been paying.”
The property is owned by Tiger Investments LLC, a Charlottesville real estate investment company.
Art and rare book collector Paul Victorius opened the original shop on the Corner in 1938 as a picture-framing business, and Freeman took over in 1968.
“I had a gallery in Richmond, but it had only been opened for two years and was still small,” Freeman said. “Moving to this shop was like trading a country store to a supermarket.”
Since its initial opening, the store has expanded to sell art, antiques and posters, in addition to offering framing services. Freeman, his wife Brigitte Freeman and their daughter Paulette Freeman now own the store.
“I’ve made a lot of changes and done things to it over the years to make it a better business,” Freeman said. “The whole family are artists, so we also sell our own original artwork.”
Paulette Freedman said most of their business comes from the foot traffic down the Corner — especially on football game days and from the hospital.
“We are sad to leave to the Corner because people walking down the Corner is how we get a lot of business, so we will have to reestablish ourselves over there,” Paulette Freedman said. “We are excited because it is a new, beautiful building, but also scared because we have been here so long and it feels like home.”
Paulette Freeman said there has been decline in business since the recession, but overall business remains steady.
“Many of our customers are Virginia alumni and parents,” she said. “A lot of people come to us to get their diplomas framed.”
Though the business is moving to a new location, Paulette Freeman said the business has loyal customers, who will follow them.
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