Our Story
Where the pig came from
How the Pig Got Its Name
The Whimsical Pig began as a weekend craft business. I'd hunt through yard sales for recycled wooden pieces with interesting shapes, then hand-paint them: lighthouses along the St. Lawrence, vegetables for the kitchen, and whatever else caught my eye.
One day a customer asked me to paint a pig on a wooden napkin holder. It reminded me of a book I used to read to my two sons, The Pig Plantagenet by Allen Andrews, about a pig in a medieval manor house who longed to run free in the dark woods with his brothers, the wild boars. That gave me the idea for a little pig sitting under the stars, looking up at the sky and wishing its world reached far beyond the manor yard. That was the first Whimsical Pig.
Being new to the craft market, I needed a business name, and The Whimsical Pig came to me because of that book and the little pig I had just painted. In a way, I shared its longing: I wanted to reach beyond my factory job and build something of my own.
When I opened our brick-and-mortar shop, I had no idea that military framing would take over our business. Hand-painted artwork is a fond memory now, except for our signature pig painting.
And here we are, 26 years later, in our third generation.
Downtown on Public Square
The Whimsical Pig is a family owned and operated shop on Public Square in downtown Watertown, New York. Our specialty is military framing: shadow boxes, flag cases, guidons and battalion spreads that honor service members, retirees and the families who love them. We also do custom framing for art and keepsakes, embroidery and printing, awards and plaques, and personalized gifts.
The pig is still with us, too: her signature pig painting still hangs in the shop. A little whimsy goes a long way, even alongside the most meaningful pieces we make. Our goal is simple: make every order feel “too easy.”
Around the Shop
Come Say Hello
50 Public Square, Suite E1, Watertown, New York. Open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.