For Jeff Kimbell, owner of Matted Memories & More, custom framing is about much more than selecting a frame and hanging something on a wall. It is about preserving the photographs, documents, artwork and personal keepsakes that tell the stories of families and communities.
Located in Pike Road, Matted Memories & More is a veteran-owned custom framing, fine art printing and preservation business founded by Kimbell in 2018 following his retirement from more than 23 years of service in the United States Air Force.
What started primarily as a custom framing business has steadily expanded as Kimbell and his team have helped customers find ways to protect and display items that carry personal, family and historical significance.
“Our work centers around preserving the things that tell people’s stories — family photographs, military medals and uniforms, historic documents, original artwork, heirlooms, and other items that often cannot be replaced,” Kimbell said.
For many customers, the value of an item brought into the shop cannot be measured by its monetary worth. Instead, its importance comes from the person who owned it, the experience it represents or the family history connected to it.
“Some of the most meaningful projects that come through our shop aren’t valuable because of what they would sell for; they’re valuable because of who they belonged to and the story behind them,” Kimbell said.
That is especially true when working with military memorabilia. As an Air Force veteran himself, Kimbell understands the significance that medals, uniforms, flags, photographs and other pieces of military history can hold for veterans and their families.
Matted Memories & More creates custom shadow boxes and displays for military memorabilia as well as jerseys, flags, awards, family heirlooms and other keepsakes. The business also provides traditional custom picture framing for photographs, artwork, documents and specialty projects.
“We have had the privilege of preserving military history, family heirlooms, historic pieces, and artwork so they can be passed from one generation to the next,” Kimbell said.
Kimbell is also encouraging residents who have been considering framing, printing, restoration or preservation projects to get those projects underway before an upcoming change in Pike Road’s sales tax rate.
Beginning Oct. 1, 2026, Pike Road’s sales tax rate is set to increase to 10 percent. For residents who already have a framing or preservation project on their to-do list, Kimbell said the weeks before the change provide an opportunity to begin that work under the current tax rate.
Over the years, Matted Memories & More has expanded beyond framing to provide a broader range of professional printing and preservation services.
Those capabilities now include fine art and giclée printing, professional photographic printing, photo restoration and specialty printing. The expanded services allow photographers, artists, families, veterans and organizations to access professional-quality printing and preservation services without leaving the Pike Road community.
For someone with an aging or damaged family photograph, for example, restoration and professional printing can provide an opportunity to preserve an image before it deteriorates further. Artists and photographers can also use the company’s fine art printing capabilities to produce professional reproductions of their work.
The variety of services reflects a common theme behind the business: helping people preserve something meaningful.
That philosophy is summarized in the company’s motto: “Preserving Your Memories to Share for Generations.”
Kimbell is now preparing for another expansion of the business, one that will focus not only on preserving memories but also on giving people opportunities to create new ones.
Matted Memories & More is developing Fired & Framed Art Studio, an extension of the business designed to introduce additional hands-on creative experiences to the Pike Road area.
The studio is expected to incorporate pottery, art workshops, photography and other creative activities, providing a place where residents can participate in the arts individually, with friends or as families.
For Kimbell, the concept represents a natural evolution of a business already centered on artwork, photography, craftsmanship and personal stories.
“Our next chapter is focused even more on creativity and community,” Kimbell said. “We are developing Fired & Framed Art Studio, an extension of Matted Memories & More designed to bring pottery, art workshops, photography, and other hands-on creative experiences to the Pike Road area.”
The expansion also reflects Kimbell’s belief that locally owned businesses have an important role to play as Pike Road continues to grow.
“As Pike Road continues to grow, I believe locally owned businesses can play an important role in maintaining the sense of community that makes this area special,” Kimbell said. “For us, that means creating a place where people can preserve their past while also creating new memories.”
The business offers custom picture framing; military and heirloom shadow boxes; fine art and giclée printing; photo printing and restoration; awards and specialty projects; and framing and preservation of jerseys, flags and memorabilia.
Whether the project involves a military uniform representing decades of service, an old family photograph, a child’s artwork, a historic document or another irreplaceable keepsake, Kimbell sees each project as an opportunity to help preserve a piece of someone’s story.
Nearly a decade after opening the business, that remains at the heart of Matted Memories & More.
From honoring the past through preservation to creating new experiences through Fired & Framed Art Studio, Kimbell hopes the Pike Road business can continue serving as a place where art, memories and community come together — and where the stories important to local families can be preserved for generations to come.
Learn more about Matted Memories & More by visiting their website.
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