KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bob and Dianne Young own the Little Gallery Frame Shop in the West Plaza Neighborhood, and after 60-plus years, it's closing on Oct. 31.
The owner of the property recently passed away and left it to her heirs, and they want to sell the property, according to the Youngs.
“We were given, at first, three days notice, and we said, 'That is not possible,'" Dianne Young said. "So, we have until the 31st of October that we’ll be here."
Dianne and Bob Young's story starts back in the early 70's not too far away from where their business is located now, at a craft store on the Plaza. Dianne was working there for a second job — she was already employed at the Little Gallery Frame Shop — when Bob walked in.
"I think we had lunch once and he was drafted and went to Vietnam," she said.
After Bob's return from Vietnam, he married Dianne in 1974 — they celebrated 50 years together this July. At the time, he was working at Sears in contract sales, but later joined Dianne at the Little Gallery Frame Shop.
After all, he had a degree in interior design and his acrylic artwork was displayed at Plaza Art Fairs; he liked the creativity framing had to offer.
"He was a big addition to the Little Gallery," Dianne Young said. "He came in about 1978, and we have worked together ever since."
In the early 80's, the couple purchased the Little Gallery Frame Shop, which was then located at 50th Street and State Line Road.
"We were much busier then," Bob Young said.
Big names like Hallmark, GEHA, Johnson County Community College and Children's Mercy were former clients of the local frame shop, according to the couple.
Now, it's more family oriented. The couple moved the store to the West Plaza Neighborhood in 2017, and despite the move, their customers followed. Dianne Young says they're currently serving their fourth generation of clients.
“You get to know the people and it’s kinda like they’re part of your family because you share these things, the births, the deaths, the graduations, all the different things, they bring their travel photos in," Dianne Young said.
Longtime customer Cindy Barnhill says she's been going to the Little Gallery Frame Shop for 15 years.
She owns Pear Tree Design & Antiques in Kansas City, Missouri, and frames artwork she purchases from Europe at the Little Gallery. She said she was shocked to hear it's closing next week.
"A small business owner to a small business owner, and we need all the small businesses that we have in Kansas City, and to lose Bob and Dianne is, I think, so unfortunate," she said.
Bob and Dianne Young planned to retire in April, but because of the property owner's decision to sell, they'll start retirement a little earlier.
They plan to travel the United States, clean up their house, and Dianne will continue her side business of handmade pies, Di's Sweetie Pies.
“We have pies here on Saturdays, always, the clients know that and the second thing they ask, ‘Oh, you’re closing. Are you still going to do your pies?’ Yes, I am," Dianne Young said.
The couple said it's been a lot of work all these years.
"But, I can't imagine doing it without you," Dianne Young said to Bob Young.
—
KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.