Today we’d like to introduce you to Gregory Dow.
Hi Gregory, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My grandfather, Percy Dow, purchased the J. T. Brown Frame Shop in downtown Fort Worth in 1935. At the time, the business was located in the W. T. Grant Building. My grandfather had gotten enough picture framing experience working for the Collins Art Co. to go into business for himself, even though times were hard. He might not have been successful but for the patronage of Amon Carter, Sid Richardson and the Woman’s Club of
Fort Worth. About the time my grandfather went out on his own, Amon Carter decided to remodel the Hotel Texas, of which he was a part-owner. Mr. Carter wanted to put three attractive, framed prints in every room of the hotel and gave the order for the new artwork to my grand dad. That amounted to hundreds of framed prints and provided the boost that made my grandfather’s dream of business ownership successful. After three generations of Dows running the gallery, and ninety years of being in business in here Fort Worth, we have never gotten totally caught up on orders. Today, our customers come to us for custom picture framing, restoration of antique or damaged oil paintings and works on paper, and to browse out ever-changing selection of vintage American and European paintings, including early Texas art. I’ve been working here fifty-one years – I’m the third generation – and I still very much look forward to coming to work every day. Just like my grandfather and my father did. It’s a privilege to serve the good people of Fort Worth and Dallas. Yes, I have many customers from Dallas and they are all very much appreciated!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No it hasn’t always been smooth. My grandfather had to leave the W. T. Grant Building when the building was closed for remodeling. We lost our second location on Monroe Street when the property was designated as the site for the new Fritz Lanham Federal Building. We then moved to 1207 Throckmorton St. and did business there for about fifteen years. When the new Tarrant County Convention Center was approved for construction we were evicted from the Throckmorton St. store in the summer of 1969, along with scores of other businesses that were located in that part of downtown, to make room for the new convention facility. We had to rent space in a tiny building in west Fort Worth for about a year and our business almost failed before we could find a suitable permanent home. In the summer of 1970, my Dad noticed that a building that once housed a carpet company had come up for sale at 3330 Camp Bowie Blvd. He immediately called the real estate agent who listed the building and began the process of purchasing it. It was a struggle to raise the down payment, but he did it. And we have been here ever since. Today, the biggest headaches are traffic congestion and limited parking, as the redevelopment of the Fort Worth Cultural District continues unabated.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Our specialties include restoration of damaged and antique paintings and works on paper. We have restored hundreds of works of art over the course of doing business here. Another specialty is the marketing of estate art. As artists and collectors pass away, there is real need for a mechanism to get the art that they owned into the hands of collectors who will appreciate and take care of it. We have been providing that service for a long time now. And of course providing custom picture framing, which is at the foundation of the business.
What does success mean to you?
Being excited about coming to work every day and enjoying the trust of our customers. We now have customers whose parents and grandparents did business with us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dowartgalleries.com
Image Credits
not applicable
