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OXFORD — After 33 years of business on High Street, John Kogge and his framing store are moving out of Oxford.
Kogge, whose store was originally located above Bagel and Deli in 1978, moved his business down High Street near the corner of Beech Street in 1985. Now, Framemaker Gallery, formerly known as Frame and Save, will be moving to College Corner by the end of January.
“It’s been good here, I really loved being here,” Kogge said of his time in Uptown.
Kogge said his move to College Corner’s 4 Main St. will connect him more closely with the growing art community there.
“I’m totally excited,” he said.
“I’d say it’s becoming a kind of burgeoning arts community,” Kogge said about College Corner.
At the new location, Framemaker Gallery will be near other art-related stores and galleries such as Willy’s Knight Gallery and Jackson’s Music Store. There is also a new sculpture and metals studio, MakeTank Projects, nearby, as well as two painting studios of Miami University faculty members, Kogge said.
There are various reasons for the move, he said, including the economy, the loss of other Uptown shops to restaurants and bars, the hassle of parking meters and the increase in stores like Walmart and Hobby Lobby. Additionally, business with college students has dwindled quite a bit over the past decade or so, Kogge said. Students used to flood his store at the beginning of the semester, buying prints and posters for their rooms and houses. Now they buy online instead. Now he really only needs space to do his framing, he said.
“The community is going to be sorry to see him leave Uptown,” said Alan Kyger, Oxford’s economic development director. Kyger said it will be different in Uptown without Kogge and Framemaker’s Gallery, especially since he’s been there for so long.
“It’s been a good run here and I enjoyed every minute of it,” Kogge said.
Kogge has been in the process of moving the contents of his store to his new location, as well as to Grandfather’s Barn, where some of his merchandise will be available during an auction this weekend. He expects the new store to open in February.
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