After 43 years in the picture framing business, Jos Van De Laar has become a well-established figure in Whakatāne. This week, he is officially retired and eager to enjoy some relaxation and leisure.

On Monday, Rich Nielsen, a tattoo artist known for his work at The Collective Tattoo Parlour on The Strand, took over Jos’s Photography and Framing. The business has now been rebranded as The Framer.

Reflecting on his long career, Mr Van De Laar said: “I’ve met many people, chatted to a lot of people, and seen a lot of interesting stuff.”

He began his journey in framing after wanting to showcasehis own black-and-white photography in his pizza parlour. When the pizza parlour was sold, he turned his hobby into a profession.

And Mr Nielsen’s reason for taking over the business: “Because I spend so much money here,” he laughed. “It is one of those trades I have always been interested in. I remember going into framing shops with my nan.”

It is the sole remaining framing business in Whakatāne and has a loyal customer base that includes many out-of-towners, keeping Mr Van De Laar constantly busy.

“In all my 43 years, I’ve never had a day where I thought, ‘That’s it, what’s next?’ It just never happened.”

Framing is more than just a technical skill – it requires a keen eye for design.

“It’s as important to be able to design a frame as it is to cut one well. Customers want bespoke, custom-made frames.”

Most of the work at The Framer is done by hand, with minimal machinery involved, and Mr Van De Laar described Mr Nielsen as potentially more experimental and bolder in his approach.

Mr Nielsen has no immediate plans for any changes and will continue building on the success that Mr Van De Laar has enjoyed, while infusing it with his own style. He has already begun showcasing framed images of his tattoos and is adding his personal touch to the shop's decor.

He will continue his tattooing work at the parlour down the road and has set up a small area in the back of the framing shop for his regular clients.

He has spent the past month being trained by Mr Van De Laar: “It is a steep learning curve, but I am loving it.”

Mr Van De Laar recalls starting his framing shop just up the road from where it is now at 58 The Strand. In those days, it was next door to the former Beacon building.

“One of the fun things of that is that any time any politicians came into town I used to drag them in to shake my hand as an easy photo. So, I have had David Lange, Rob Muldoon, Geoffrey Palmer, all of them.”

The building where the shop is now located has also had a long history, and Mr Van De Laar recalls it being occupied previously by several different businesses: “Bridgers used to be in here, Cutler’s Ironmongery, Armstrong’s Antique Shop, Bank of New Zealand.”

As Mr Van De Laar steps away, Mr Nielsen looks forward to continuing the framing tradition with a fresh perspective.