A space that once housed an art organization that sank into financial chaos and was shut down for violating fire codes is witnessing a regeneration - by another artistic enterprise.
The newly opened ArtWorks, at 5002 Seventh Avenue, offers framing services, art supplies, classes and a fine-art gallery in a section of what once housed the Kenosha Institute of Arts.
The latter closed in 2003 amid a storm of controversy including unpaid utility bills, instructors who never received paychecks and fire-safety code violations.
But it's a new dawn for at least part of the building, which for decades was home to Bobusch Furniture Store.
Husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Chet and Lisa Griffith have created their business space in 3,600-square-feet of the structure, including a basement area, first floor and mezzanine.
"We walled off our area from the other part of the building, creating a distinct space," said Chet, a professional framer who has worked for national chains including The Great Frame Up.
For several years Chet ran his own framing business from the couple's Kenosha home. After purchasing the entire stock of another local framing firm, he mulled whether to expand his business or sell everything and go back to work for someone else.
"Then fate intervened," he said. "All of a sudden everything came crashing down, and it turned out to be for the good."
Last December, Lisa lost her job at Trustmark Insurance Co. in Lake Forest, Ill., where she had worked for 15 years as a quality assurance senior manager.
Her position was eliminated and sent overseas.
"She got a severance package that gave us enough money to launch the business without having to take out loans," Chet said. "We had all the framing material and art supplies from the stock I had purchased - we had a full store in our basement. We sat down and decided we were finally going to get a business location and go for it."
The couple contacted Robert and Rebecca Venn, who own the 10,000-square-foot building, constructed in 1888, and live in an upstairs apartment. The Griffiths arranged to lease a portion of the former KIA space.
"The ironic thing is my brother-in-law actually builds stores for a living," Chet said. "That's his job. Of course, in December no stores are being built in malls because it's the Christmas season. So he happened to be off at that time. We got a fabulous deal from him. If it wasn't for him we'd be in serious trouble."
The biggest project involved installing new walls on all three floors to separate the gallery from the rest of the building.
"We built some of the fixtures ourselves," Chet said. "It's all been done very economically. Our electrician is a friend and we know the Venns, so everything just sort of fell into place."
The business has passed all building inspections including, significantly enough, one by the Kenosha Fire Department.
Patrick Ryan, division chief of fire prevention, said firefighters inspected the location in March.
"Everything is currently up to code," Ryan said, adding that the major problem in the past was the absence of an adequate fire-alarm system.
A fire-alarm system, similar to those in schools, has been installed, Ryan said.
The Griffiths plan a lively aesthetic environment for their enterprise.
"In the front window we're going to have working artists," Chet said. "There's going to be a studio space up front. There will actually be art work going on at ArtWorks. So it's kind of a cool, all-encompassing thing."
The gallery is in the upstairs mezzanine. It's a room with a low ceiling - just 6-feet-5 inches high.
"An NBA player probably won't be able to squeeze in there," Chet joked.
Framing and art supplies occupy the first floor, with the actual framing done in a basement work space. Classes are planned for this summer.
Said Lisa: "We're going to focus on kids' classes. We'll have some of the basics like drawing and painting. But we're trying to pull together a full slate of fun things like comic and cartoon art and fashion design."
Art isn't her expertise, but she has other skills to advance the business.
"I don't known framing, I don't know art and I can't draw a thing," she said. "I do more of the pricing, the ordering. Chet's not good at the paperwork, so I do that."
Ironically, losing her job was serendipitous.
"The day I found out I never had to go back to Trustmark again was the happiest day of my life," she said. "I wouldn't have done it on my own. I wouldn't have left unless I was forced to. It wasn't for me. It's not what I wanted to do. I wanted to work there for a year or two and then do whatever, but it turned into 15 years. You get promotions and you stay."
At Trustmark she managed lots of people.
"Now I manage him," she said with a smile, pointing at her spouse.
"This is much better for me," she added. "I can be more creative."
So far, the gallery features works by regionally well-known artists including Diane Levesque, Lisa Bigalke and Connie Wolfe.
"We want artists with a good exhibition history," Chet said. "We're setting the bar pretty high."
The gallery doesn't have to be self-sustaining, he said.
"That's the nice thing about doing this. The mezzanine space came with the package. The gallery is a bonus. Framing is the main thing here. That will sustain the rest of it. This is a frame shop that happens to sell art supplies and have art classes and a gallery."
His framing business has several large corporate clients, he said.
"And we do tons and tons of sports framing. Brett Favre jerseys support this gallery. It's going to be nice that I don't have to think about the space commercially. I can think about it purely from an artistic standpoint."
The couple aims to display and sell quality art.
"I want pieces that are technically very well done," Chet said. "I'm not forced to put up things just because I think they will sell."
They love the location.
"The space itself is wonderful," Chet said. "It's a quirky old building with a character all its own in downtown Kenosha. It couldn't be better."
Here are the hours for ArtWorks:
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday; from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
For more information call (262) 652-5911.
