A family-owned small business supporting local crafters and offering custom picture framing, Gallery at Lands End in Pacific Beach is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Begun in Ocean Beach as a lithography business by Jay and Vicki Ford in 1973, the business was ultimately sold to employee Thayne Yungman (above). A custom picture framer, woodworker, and photographer, he pushed to create a warm gallery environment exhibiting local artists’ works. In 2013, the gallery expanded into showcasing handmade local gifts from some of San Diego’s best craft makers.
“The Fords in the ’70s to ’90s were selling printing-quality, high-end poster work,” said Yungman who started working with them in 2002. “We started to slowly pull back and do a little more artistic stuff. From there we pivoted again toward locally crafted goods in this converted two-bedroom beach bungalow.”
Located on a corner lot on Cass and Loring streets, Yungman noted they’ve seen a lot of change in their north Pacific Beach neighborhood, which has established its own unique identity over the years. “We’ve got established restaurants here now,” Yungman noted adding, “When you think of PB you still think of Garnet. But a lot of people know this is a destination for brunch on weekends. That has all changed since we’ve been here.”
Perusing the gift shop indoors at Lands End, there is a seemingly endless supply of jewelry including rings, necklaces, earrings, polished stones of all types, coffee mugs, ceramics, glass and wood products. “We know all these makers, they are local, and we’re paying out directly to the artist,” pointed out Yungman. “That gets people in the door and lets them know that we (also) do custom framing, which has been way up since COVID.”
Noting custom framing is his “bread and butter,” Yungman added, “Our clients are everybody. We have everyone from people with international artwork who want it framed as a keepsake, to collectors in La Jolla. We run the gamut.”
Lands End switched to working by appointment only during the pandemic. “That has been a big deal for us, allowing people to book online and know they have a specific amount of time with us, which has been really great,” said Yungman who added, about client consultation, “A lot of times people don’t know what they want; sometimes you have to show them what they don’t like in order to figure out what they do like. Customer framing is a lot about reading the customer and interpersonal communication: It is about picking up on what is making people happy, and showing them more options.”
The gift shop and custom framing are two complementary businesses under the same roof. “I do all the woodworking,” noted Yungman. “I’m lucky to have the ability of artistic expression in a hobby that makes a couple of dollars.” He added, “I’m not interested in buying something from China. I want to sell something locally.”
Discussing the key ingredients that go into running a successful mom-and-pop, Yungman said: “Being such a small business is adapting and innovating, staying new and staying exciting. You continue to go to work and you keep going. Eventually, we found a headwind and dug into it. We switched to appointment-only shopping and custom framing, and once people were stuck inside they picked up house projects. We have been very busy (since) with custom framing.”
What about the future?
“It will be more of the same until something new pops up,” answered Yungman.
GALLERY AT LANDS END
Where: 4984 Cass St.
Contact: galleryatlandsend.com, 858-270-7820.
