DAYTON INNOVATION: SMALL BUSINESS ADAPTED TO CHANGING MARKETPLACE
Business name: Dayton Art Solutions
Location: 4005 Far Hills Ave., Kettering
Owner’s name: Laura Pribish Years in operation: 20 years Describe what your business does: We provide art and framing for both residential and commercial clients. Our gallery houses thousands of different types of art, from originals to wall sculptures to poster prints. We specialize in large format printing, shadowbox framing, preservation framing and digital restoration. We are a one-stop shop presenting the customer with hands on custom design, production and installation.
What inspired you to start this business? After graduating from Ohio University with a degree in art history, I began working here under the original owner and partnered with the original owners in 2013 — buying the business in 2019.
How has your business embraced innovation? Our business model has changed much over the years due to online access to art and framing. We re-branded the business name/ logo last year for a more localized, sophisticated presence. We have had to re-direct our inventory to focus on what you, the customer, cannot get from online storefronts and big box stores. I have brought in a handful of local artists, and recently licensed a series of Wright Brothers prints that are exclusive to DAS and benefit the Wright Brothers Family Foundation. We purchased a large format printer to be able to produce giclee prints on canvas and paper for artists and clients, giving them the opportunity to both framing and printing at one store.
What’s your biggest challenge right now? Our biggest challenge is making sure everyone knows we are the same people and business that we have been for the last 20 years with simply a new name.
What is your biggest opportunity right now? We are fortunate to be thriving through the unprecedented times we have been dealt. I think having the vast majority of people basically stuck in their houses for a couple months has brought on some much needed home improvement projects, and thankfully we can assist with some of that.
What do you want readers to know about your business today? We are open Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. We welcome both walk-ins and appointments. All surfaces are sanitized daily with plexiguard shields for customer interaction. Masks are optional.