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Employee Discount Offers Picture Perfect Savings

Durham company offers discount on custom framing

Clare Matti, left, and Bull City Art & Frame co-owners Lewis and Tiffany Bowles and their dog, Polo, display two of Matti's martial arts certificates framed at the shop. Photo by Marsha A. Green
Clare Matti, left, and Bull City Art & Frame co-owners Lewis and Tiffany Bowles and their dog, Polo, display two of Matti's martial arts certificates framed at the shop. Photo by Marsha A. Green

Eager to pick up her newly framed martial arts black belt certificate, Clare Matti stepped into Bull City Art & Frame Company.

The co-owner of the shop, Lewis Bowles, met her at the counter with a look of concern on his face. He explained that when packaging the artwork for delivery, he found a small defect in the red bamboo frame.  

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"The flaw was so small I could hardly see it, so I told him not to worry," said Matti, assistant director for regulatory services at the Duke Clinical Research Institute. "But he insisted. He knew I treasured that certificate, and he wanted it to be perfect."

Two days later, Matti walked out of the store with the certificate redone at no charge in a new bamboo frame carefully sealed to protect the Japanese script. 

Bull City Art & Frame Company, which specializes in museum quality custom framing of fine art, certificates and family treasures, offers a 10 percent discount to Duke staff and faculty. The store in Brightleaf Square stocks more than 2,000 frames made of metal, reclaimed wood and sustainably harvested wood. Prices start at about $50 for a simple framing job. 

Since Matti's first experience with Bull City Art & Frame in 2009, she has often returned to the store to have other certificates framed. She also regularly peruses art and jewelry created by local artists and recently commissioned a metal sculpture of a bass guitar by local artist Jose Pereira. When she shops at Bull City Art & Frame, she takes advantage of PERQS, the employee discount program. 

Last year, Matti returned to the store to frame her second-degree black belt certificate. This time, the owners helped her select a carved frame with a vintage Asian look and a red mat that harmonized with her original black belt certificate. 

"Over the years, I've saved hundreds of dollars with the discount at Bull City Art & Frame," she said. "But what really keeps me coming back is the incredible service."