Ben Franklin Crafts & Frames

Bob had a wealth of retail experience from businesses his parents had owned or managed in the Los Angeles area, and went early into Woolworth’s, where he met Shirley. He managed several Woolworth’s stores in northern California before being transferred to co-manage in Honolulu, the most profitable branch in the country.

While in Hawaii, Bob and Shirley became acquainted with the Ben Franklin franchise model and were offered their pick of sites along the west coast. The location, originally the site of the Redmond Garden Center, has not changed over time, though additional warehouse sites in the Redmond area hold their off-season stock.

Their products originally mirrored that of a typical variety store, but as early as 1993, supply chain issues emerged (Ben Franklin Corporate suffered bankruptcy in 1997), forcing the Fergusons to obtain new products independently. This paved the way for a wealth of innovative products, sourced from all over the world. Framing, mop dolls, Beadie-Babies and scrapbooking supplies were some of their early successes.

They generally have approximately 50,000 items available at any one time, though crafting trends that last more than six months are rare. One warehouse holds a miniature museum, created for Bob in 2006 as a 65th birthday gift, housing photographs, business machines and ephemera from their earliest days.