This small shop can satisfy framing needs other places cannot. I had a wonderful experience. The owners are super, friendly, helpful, expert. I will definitely go there again. read more

I have use their service several times. I am completely satisfied. The staff enhances my art work by their dedication to excellence. Their prices are always reasonable given the quality. Frank Cihak 5 stars read more

When you have artwork that is uniquely special to you, April7s will treat your art as if it's special to them too. Martin takes expert care handling our art. That is why we continue to support his business. April7s is the only custom frame shop we support! Looking forward to giving April7s more of our custom framing because they care, are a small business in a city which makes running a small business especially challenging AND, April7s goes extra-milesss to provide the highest quality materials within your budget. Turn around time is reasonable and you will be pleased and happy that you supported April7s! read more

Jacob and Martin are professionals. They will work with you to bring your vision to life. Their attention to detail exceeds expectations and will really help you make a lifelong gift. They have mounted posters and concert wristbands for me and have done really a fantastic job. I really enjoy giving gifts now thanks to these guys. read more

April 7s Custom Framing - Framing Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been coming to April 7s, pretty much since the beginning. Martin has always been super awesome with helping to figure out the best design and ideas for my framing needs. One look around the store and you can see how many different innovative ways they've framed up clients' work. I most recently had a few concert posters framed. Paul was super patient with me as we went through an endless amount of frames, cornering them up to figure out which one would be the best and I think we definitely came up with the best possible options. Seeing them framed up for the first time was mind blowing. I honestly couldn't have imagined how nice they would look all finished up. Because the posters were more or less meant to be full bleed, it was tricky to get them in a frame without covering up some of the design, but they pulled it off. Amazing! Framed art is one of the few things I really seem to cherish as far as possessions. Coming from an artist, April 7s does an amazing job. Highly recommended. Thanks guys! See you again soon. read more

See all

Had. A wonderful experience with Martin. Very hands on with the process, I'm looking forward to more work in the future.

My boyfriend's father is from a small town in Mississippi and he is very proud of his history. Recently he was able to secure a magazine which told the story of the town. As a Christmas present, I wanted to have the key parts of the story framed to preserve his history for years to come! Having no creative eye or understanding of custom framing, I wasn't sure how to make this happen. BUT... The April 7's team, especially Jacob and the owner, invested their time and creative talent to design a super special piece! The final result could be mistaken for a museum quality piece. Thank you April 7's team for helping me to give the BEST GIFT EVER! He absolutely LOVED it! read more

April 7s Custom Framing - Framing Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My favorite framers in the city. Highest of quality, and an craftsman approach to framing. Extremely knowledgeable and great taste in making framing choices. read more

April 7's is a small business with big business results! I've had over 10 paintings/prints custom framed at April 7's over the past 12 months. They surprise me everytime with how great their work is. They spend a lot of time with you to make sure the end result will exceed your expectations. I cannot say enough good things about this custom frame shop, the owners, & the employees. They are consistently amazing, and I will be a customer so long as they are around. read more

When my daughter was born I bought an adorable picture frame that documented all her month bdays for the first year. I searched forever to find one that wasn't overly cheesy and found the perfect one on RedEnvelope. After 12 months I put Baby R's very last picture into my beloved frame...and was so excited to have a frame documenting her entire first year. A few days later it fell off the bookcase and shattered into a bunch of pieces. Ahhhh! My first thought was to reorder it from RedEnvelope and was devastated to see it had been discontinued. Apparently I was the only one buying it for myself and gifts. I tried to find a similar frame, but couldn't find anything I liked nearly as much. And sooo I turned to Yelp to find a frame store to help me. I came across April 7s Custom Framing and took my shattered frame over to Marty. He was very sympathetic and promised to help me fix it. I can't remember how much paid, but believed it was around $50...and said he would charge me the rest later (he thought it would be another $50-75, but said it would depend on if he had to build it again from scratch). And he said it would be ready in a few weeks. Three months later I was still waiting for the finished product and hadn't heard from April 7s because a voicemail after 3 weeks saying they'd need a bit more time. I called Marty and asked what the deal was. He was extremely apologetic, promised to have it ready by that weekend and said he wouldn't charge me anymore than my initial payment. Marty was true to his word this time and did have it ready by the weekend. And when I picked it up I was excited to see that it looked even better than it initially looked. I'm pretty sure it would now withstand a fall off a bookcase, but then again I don't plan on trying it. And he also didn't charge me more than my initial payment even though he did end up having to completely rebuild it. Three months of waiting for something would usually result in a negative Yelp review, but Marty was such a pleasure to deal with that I actually still had a good experience. And I would actually even consider going back to him for other framing needs...he assured me that regular projects typically go much faster. read more

I had 6 pieces framed with April 7s and am absolutely thrilled with the results. Some pieces we opted for just a frame and the choices available made it possible to really compliment each piece. The intricate mat work absolutely made two pieces really come to life and take on a unique vibrance that makes them an absolute joy to have displayed in my home. Everyone at the shop clearly loves what they do and it is reflected in their work. If you have any framing work to be done, I highly recommend April 7s! read more

See all

Hard to remember name. But really nice work. And I guess since it's the work and service that you pay for, I'll try to do better to remember the name. But I can't make any promises! I had 4 pieces that needed to be matted and framed and were going to be hung in my office. The tricky part? They were all different sized vintage posters with different colors and highlights and yet needed to all look like they were a part of a set. Well these guys were great! They started by pulling frames and mats off the walls and just about the time we think we've landed on something, my friend shows up and starts pulling even more options off the walls. Good thing there wasn't anyone else in the shop or customers would have been shopping on my table! Ha! After looking at many combinations, I picked what I thought worked the best and left the shop knowing I was going to love the work! And when it was delivered a few weeks later, it was even better than I could have anticipated. The prices are in keeping with what you might expect to pay at any higher end frame shop. Parking is a bit of a challenge here so know before you go if you are picking up a piece, they have a back entrance which makes it easy for them to put things in your car. Otherwise you might get lucky and grab some street parking out front. Also know that the front door may be locked during open hours. Seems like some people who really aren't interested in framing wander in from time to time so they lock the door, so be sure to ring the bell or knock and they will let you in very quickly. April 7's really did a nice job on my prints. But then with all the great reviews here on Yelp. I expected nothing else. Now, if only I could remember the name! read more

Excellent work, brilliant service! The guys here are super lovely and know what they're doing - the whole experience feels considered. The end results are beautiful - yes framing is expensive but they don't rip you off and it is a different level of quality to online framers read more

I've never seen or gotten better work from a framing place before. Extremely creative and friendly. They can do simple things on a budget or blow you away if you got something really special you want to show off. They also do the best window displays in town. :) read more

Much like everyone else, I have nothing but praise for the work April 7s has done. A few months ago I moved into a new condo with absolutely nothing on the walls and slowly started collecting prints and getting old prints framed. A friend of mine recommended April 7s and I haven't stopped going since. So far, I have gotten a Bears jersey, Blackhawks Jersey, and a few posters framed. I have also gotten the glass switched out on a few paintings & prints, as well as bought a custom sized framed mats. Will be in there to get a few more things framed soon! Getting stuff professionally framed is not a cheap hobby. However, Martin's team does an awesome job and it truly shows on the walls. They also always try their best to work within your budget. You truly get a personal experience when you go in their shop and its always fun picking out the frames and mats. Their whole team is great! read more

April 7s did a world class job framing my diplomas. The folks here are incredibly kind and professional. I look forward to having these frames for a lifetime. read more

Martin and his team are really talented at framing art in a beautiful way that complements and adds to the piece. Fun to brainstorm frame ideas with, and beautiful execution of the work! Excellent customer service too, just truly exceptional all around. Will use April 7s exclusively going forward. read more

In the last couple of years, I have been really into buying artwork. Only one of these purchases really left a dent in my checkbook and that was a screenprint by Radiohead's artist, Stanley Donwood, called ALARM ( see: http://shop.slowlydownward.com/Store/DisplayIndividualItem/1/46.html ). I left it rolled up in the large tube that it came in for years, unopened, yearning to be framed. I had purchased Z an awesome stencil art piece of Tom Waits last April for our one yearanniversary and it too wanted desperately to be hung on a wall underneath protective glass. I had also recently purchased a wee painting by my friend Susie Ghahremani ( http://www.boygirlparty.com ) of a moon that I decided I wanted to frame to hang above our bed. As our big Christmas gift, Z and I resolved to get these pieces framed. Z instructed that he wanted the frame for the Tom Waits piece to look like it had been left in an alley for years. With that in mind, I took them in, worked with Evan on picking the absolutely perfect frame. The price tag for that one hurt. A lot. I'm pretty sure it was 3 times what I had spent on the piece itself, but, I happily charged it, knowing it was perfect. The other pieces were definitely more affordable, as the sizes and frames I had picked were fairly plain compared to the Waits one. When I told Z how much I had spent, we went back to April 7's so he could pick out a different, less expensive frame. That knocked about $100 off the price alone. Our total ended up being $360 to frame everything. They were slammed due to the holidays, but we said that was cool and we wouldn't mind waiting. As others have said, two of the pieces were ready 2 weeks after the date we were told. The other piece I didn't get until a month and a half late, because there was a problem with the distributor of the frame I had picked for the moon piece. Tto compensate, they upgraded to double matte, archival glass, and refunded me another $10. Yes, the wait is long, but like all good things, completely worth it. I didn't flinch when wondering where to take this John Clark ( http://johnclark.etsy.com ) piece custom-made for Z and my 2 year anniversary. I'm going to pick it up right now. This time it was ready way before schedule. To note, this past weekend a friend told me how much it cost for three posters of varying sizes to be framed at JoAnn Fabrics, and even after the coupon, it was over $300, so I feel justified in my choice to go with April 7's. read more

April 7s Custom Framing - The two on the right were framed by April 7's. Ltd. edition print by Stanley Donwood and Tom Waits piece by an artist off eBay. - Framing Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I knew of April 7s because they were the home of my bird wall hangings that my husband bought me for Christmas the year before. We made mental note of their framing capabilities for future framing needs. For my birthday this year, I got my very first real pieces of artwork. Of course, I wasn't going to trust these pieces with any Average Joe Framer. No way. April 7s it was. The owners and their employees are friendly, kind, and full of good tips. They were helpful in figuring out colors of frames and what would best accentuate the artwork contained therein. The finished project was beautiful. It was exactly what I had ordered and made my beautiful screen prints even more lovely. Pricing is typical of what you pay for quality framing. You might not have the coupons from the big chain stores, but you will get customized frames at a competitive rate. We have since been back for a matting here and a frame there. It is really nice to patronize a local shop that gives you attentive customer service and has excellent advice. Gotta love the pups in the shop as well. April 7s is now my go-to for framers. (I feel like such an adult in that I need a go-to framer). read more

First things first, the duo who run this shop have a great eye for what frame would work with your piece o' art. I had a vintage 1960s Fernet Branca poster and they picked a very nice looking white gloss frame that looked great against the predominantly orange hues of the poster. Second, framing ain't cheap. For real, every time I frame something I cry a little inside because of how much it costs. And April 7s is no exception, but let me just say that the prices are fair and middle of the pack. Data: my poster was 35 x 50.5, so pretty darn big, and I used UV plexi, and I needed to have the poster backed with mumbo jumbo for preservation purposes. $279 for the frame, $162 for plexi, and $55 for preservation mumbo jumbo. With tax, this was just short of $550. Like I said, I almost cried. But you gotta do what you gotta do (what's the alternative, thumb tacks?). Third, service was great here. April 7s had stated that the job would take two weeks, but it actually took four weeks, which was not a big deal to me, but they knocked off $100 from the price, which was awesome. Also, they delivered to my house at an odd time for no charge. In short: framing costs money, but you might as well have it look good and come from cool people. read more

I'm NOT an artsy person, which is why I went to professionals for rather simple job- it wasn't simple for me! I brought a small photo with the lyrics of a song I'd translated to April 7s & they were extremely accommodating, patient & seemed to sincerely care about helping me- & I needed a lot of help! Evan was a sweetheart & spent literally 45 minutes with me, past closing time & was super considerate about meeting my price restrictions. he wasn't at all snobby about my utter lack of experience in a shop that obviously does WAY more complex stuff as their specialty. not to mention I wasn't dropping much money at all! the staff was really knowledgable & my piece was ready a day early & looked great! yay for awesome xmas presents! I was so excited with the outcome that I couldn't wait to give bf the piece until xmas. :) all in all- it was great to support a valuable part of the community & local business. it was also a relief not to be subjected to you're-not-arty-and-your-piece-is-below-me snobbery. i'll definitely go back should I need anything like this done again! read more

The first time, Rock for Kids brought me to April 7s. The second time, I went there myself. I fell in love with the artistic and creative framing of several Rock for Kids pieces at their auction late last year. Funky frames, well thought-out mat cuts, and great color choices made them stand out without looking crazy. I decided to frame 2 prints for my husband's bday/Valentine's day present. Martin was super helpful, chill, totally no pressure, and was willing to cut costs for me where he could (like offering to reuse a frame that got returned for a print I had, which would have resulted in a discount). He found frame options that matched but were at all different price points, so I could make the best decision. We were thrilled with the final pieces. And he has many local artists' work featured around the shop. Good things to note: 1) they're perfect for both the artistically inclined and the colorblind...super helpful and high quality work. 2) if you have several pieces to frame, I hear they are open to payment plans...though I've never tried them, it sounds like a good option. 3) turnaround time for me was about 2-3 weeks, for 2 large pieces. I think they could have done faster, but not sure...just be advised that they may need time to do your order right! We will definitely be taking more work back to them! read more

Ok, after the previous review, I had a lot more framing done. My spouse and I have accumulated a lot of wall decoration, and not much in frames. So we got some Ikea frames and went here to get matteing. We had about 35 things that needed mattes. I stopped by in mid-December. Martin said it would normally be about 2-3 weeks, but with the holidays, it would be a week longer. It ended up being about 3 times that. But this is a small operation, and the biggest job they had, probably. Sometimes it was tough getting updates on the progress, but eventually we got everything back and it all looks amazing. We even recommended my brother-in-law go here. read more

I nearly peed myself when I saw that they'd relocated so close to my apartment! I took my most favorite thing ever to be framed at their previous location. -- a huge print of this photo http://images.wisconsinhistory.org/700003030021/0303000461-l.jpg that I got for participating in a study. It had been rolled up in a tube for 3 or 4 years before I finally took it to be framed. It was a busy morning when I showed up, but they had cute dogs to keep my company, and a big frame selection to browse while I waited. I liked that even though a lot of people were waiting, I didn't feel rushed to make my choices. I described the decor of the room it was going into (erm, non-descript?) and a few weeks later I hung my beautifully framed historic photo print over the bar in my dining room. I thought the price was reasonable, I got good advice on my selections, and the owner is easy on the eyes, which really didn't hurt (is that inappropriate to mention?). I have 2 other pieces waiting for framing but they won't be waiting too long with the shop so much closer to home. read more

I'm tickled pink by the quality and service at this small, locally-owned shop. Martin and his crew may not be the fastest game in town when it comes to framing, but I didn't mind the little bit of extra time the job took because they paid attention to all the little details. And they're just so gosh-darned nice! Definitely bringing all my custom stuff over here from now on. read more

I got a super-cool frame for a painting in my living room. While it was more expensive than I'm used to paying for much of anything, the price was still way below what competing frame shops would charge. The frame recommendation from Martin was excellent and they delivered it to my house. It was a while back and I don't remember how long it took, but it was fast (a couple of days?). I feel bad because I didn't tip when they delivered it...I don't know how that works and what is customary, but I wasn't sure and didn't do anything. Oops. Sorry. I still love it! read more

Simply the coolest ideas, the best execution and the nicest people in one store. Period. If you need some thing framed w/ amazing results for your hip pad....this is the place. Look no more. read more

April 7s is nothing short of AMAZING!!!! I had a wonderful experience with them, and I would recommend them and use them again for all of my framing needs. They really take as much time as you need to assist you in selecting the perfect frame. Their prices are reasonable for the very high quality of their work. I had three pieces framed shortly before I was moving out of Chicago. They made sure to have the pieces done on time and even offered to deliver to my home since I was so busy preparing for the move. Look no further - you will not be disappointed! read more

My experience here was fantastic. I just moved to Chicago from New York and didn't really know where to go to get my oil painting framed but stumbled upon April 7s through Yelp. I'm really glad I did. The store itself was cool, they had a couple dogs running around (really nice, nothing to worry about) and Martin and Lou were extremely helpful in fixing a good match for your picture. We looked at many options but the one I decided on ended up looking really great. He gave me 10% off the price (It was my first time ever there) which I thought was really kind. These guys are really chill and super helpful, I will be coming here to get anything framed from here on out and suggest you do the same. read more

I'm probably jumping the gun on this review since I haven't gotten my frame yet. But I just love this place and these people. Sooooo nice and so polite! Not to mention, they have two dogs in the shop, which immediately won me over. I took my huge map in to get framed and the guy (I'm mad I can't think of his name) was super helpful and went to pick out a really sweet clean matte white frame to go with it. So minimalist. I love it. Be ready for an update when I get to pick it up! read more

While searching for local framers, I figured I should write a review for April 7s seeing how they have framed two separate projects of my original work (this was back when they were on Chicago Ave). They did such an amazing job that their custom matting and framing not only enhanced, but added to and became a part of the finished piece. This time around I'm looking just to frame some posters and prints. I highly suggest April 7s though if you ever need stellar customer service and a fun, but contemporary framing job. read more

So April 7s used to be two doors down from my house and I walked by there all the time. Which is only relevant because 1) they moved further west down Chicago, and 2) they had a great dog who hung out in the window, and my dog decided that their dog was trying to kill him through said window and would freak out every time we walked by. So anyway, my dog's freaking out led me to stare at their windows more than I might, which led me to see all sorts of great frames and cool art they showcased. Anyway, I bought three prints (kinda cool vintage-looking vaguely Japanese anime-ish art prints by 64 Colors -- www.64colors.com, if you care) and needed them framed. My budget was definitely limited, but I wanted them to look cool and had an idea of what I wanted. I brought them in to Martin and Julie and Martin found exactly the frame I wanted. We worked it out with the matte and everything, and then he totaled the price -- WAY out of my league. So anyway, Martin worked with me, and suggested another frame that turned out to work with the prints much better than what I had in mind. And was about half the price. I went with that one. They're now hanging in my living room and I couldn't be happier with them. So thanks, Martin and Julie. We miss you in the 'hood, but I'm glad you didn't go far. And my dog still stalks your dog every time he passes the now-empty window. read more

Based on previous stellar reviews, I had April 7s frame a 20x30" photograph of mine for a gallery show. I am very glad I did! Relaxed environment (two in-shop doggies!). Great selection. The owners & staff are engaging and happy to gently guide you toward the right choice for the work you bring in. Martin, who helped me initially, was very patient, as he watched me choose between two similar frames for quite a while. They also offered to stay after closing for me to come in. I will be coming back to April7s for my future framing needs! read more

What do you mean it normally takes more than 24 hours to custom frame a picture? I'm sorry I forgot the guys name, but he could not have been more helpful. Knowing he had to turn it around quickly using stuff they have in the shop already, he spent a full hour with me digging up different options for mattes and frames. He gave great suggestions and assisted while I putzed around taking my time deciding which frame to use. Could not have been a better customer service experience. I was tempted to give one less star just because the price seemed high, but you know what, I have no idea what custom framing costs. I think it costs more than I want it to cost. Maybe if I had framing done frequently, I might be wise to shop around for a good deal. But since I have something framed about once every ten years or so, this was a pretty wise choice. read more

Nico and Jacob were exceptional. This was my first time ordering a custom frame and they were thoughtful, considerate, and creative. I had a budget in mind and they helped me stick to it by providing different options. I didn't realize framing could take up to 2 weeks to complete...they noticed my panic and offered to expedite my order to have it in time for an event in a week. The cherry on top was that they were so fun to be around! Thanks guys! read more

I work for a charity in Chicago called Rock For Kids (http://www.rockforkids.org) which provides free year-round music lessons to children living under the poverty level. For years, April 7s has been one of the three main framers that we use every year to frame items in our Annual Rock & Roll Auction. Every year we have nearly 200 items signed by bands and other celebrities, and most of those items need framed. Martin and Julie at April 7s are so helpful and are creative geniuses. We basically drop off the items and 95% of the time ask them to just do something cool. However, when we have our own bright ideas they are very thoughtful and accommodating, offering us their advice. They never disappoint! Their hand cut mats are particularly spectacular. One year they created an amazing boom box frame for a signed Beastie Boys microphone, and another year they created a light box to backlight a Tom Waits poster. People who come to our auction always want to know who frames our stuff! I love April 7s so much I've even had them frame a number of personal items for my apartment and for gifts. To see samples of the stunning framing that April 7s have done for Rock For Kids visit the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockforkids/sets/72157623383938285/ Thank you April 7s for all that you do for Rock For Kids! read more

This is the second time I have been here. This time, worked with Martin's wife, her name escapes me. Brought in 4 pieces. Ended up doing 3 pieces due to budget constraints. Was looking for something imaginative to make the pieces stand out for the new office I was decorating. Was shown several options that would compliment the frame and give me the look I was looking for. Prices are pretty much on par with other frame shops. Michaels charges just about the same if you use their 'custom frames' or custom framing services. Difference, in my opinion, is the artistic talent they share with you to help you design the frame and come up with ideas. If you have pictures that just need a standard frame, you would probably save money going elsewhere like target. Great place to go if you are looking for quality framing work done, to be creative with your frame, and/or want the frame to really showcase the art. read more

The guys at April 7s are fantastic. Truly, truly fantastic. I bgouth five diplomas in to April 7s to be framed. Two different guys helped me and my husband choose frames, mats, and glass for the diplomas. They were well priced and they got the diplomas framed quickly. They even found a program from my swearing in ceremony in the envelope with my law license and put a little pocket on the back of the frame to keep the program with it--free of charge. It was so thoughtful and such a nice touch. Fantastic local business that will really take care of you and anything you need framed. read more

I need to have my certificate framed, searched Yelp, and went to April 7s. I had searched around Lincoln Park, Wicker Park and found that April 7s was simply the best. They did a great job on my framing my CPA certificate and it looks perfect. I enjoyed working with the owners to implement my vision and deliver spot on. read more

April 7s Custom Framing - CPA framed in Olive Wood - Framing Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I had to write an update....These guys are truly fantastic. Every person I have met in the shop has been terrific to work with, and the quality of their work was exceptional. I left feeling good about the work and thinking that I would probably like the colors of my frames, mats, and the like. I could not have been more accurate. Everything came back, and the quality of April 7's efforts made my pictures look better! The guys went to the trouble of wrapping everything and loading it in my car for safe transit home. I was so pleased I purchased an additional piece while I was there. Big fan, will keep going back and rec to anyone. read more