Leslie Calimeri, center, is ready to cut the red ribbon Friday at Chautauqua Art Gallery. The gallery, 318 N. Main St., recently acquired The Frame and Glass Shoppe which was located directly across the street, to enhance the art experience for Jamestown. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

At its ribbon cutting Friday, Chautauqua Art Gallery owner Leslie Calimeri said she has had to hire another employee to help with new frame orders.

The gallery, 318 N. Main St., recently acquired The Frame and Glass Shoppe which was located directly across the street, to enhance the art experience for Jamestown.

“This building is absolutely beautiful,” said City Council President Tony Dolce, R-Ward II. “It’s nice to see the re-use of these old buildings and (the) re-investment in downtown Jamestown. We want more of this. We have a lot of old buildings to fill up and a lot of possibilities.”

City Councilman William Reynolds, R-Ward V, had similar thoughts.

“I’m so happy that you are investing more into the city.”

Jamestown Renaissance Corp. Executive Director Frank Besse said there are positive things happening in Jamestown and he stressed the importance of how there are people like Calimeri who have a connection to the community and want to strengthen that connection.

“We need more of those folks. I’m glad we are here to celebrate the ones that we do have and to recognize Leslie for that,” Besse said.

The acquisition happened after Dan Gates, the owner of The Frame and Glass Shoppe, decided to retire.

“The Frame and Glass Shoppe has been a cornerstone of artistic expression in Jamestown, and we are honored to carry on its legacy,” Calimeri previously said. “Our goal is to seamlessly integrate the strengths of both establishments, offering an even more comprehensive range of services to our patrons.”

For more information about Chautauqua Art Gallery and The Frame and Glass Shoppe, visit chautauquaartgallery.com or call 716-294-3027.