Preserve Your Valuables at a Value

Duke Pediatrics Nutritionist Lesley Stanford adores the photo her son made of a gate guarding an old cemetery. The shot, which took top honors in a photo contest about a decade ago, now hangs in the family room of her Hillsborough home.

And the frame around the photo is a work of art, too.

The arched matting around the photo echoes the gate’s gentle curve. The rough texture of the frame matches the gate’s weathered wrought iron.

“That takes an artist’s eye,” Stanford said.

Stanford had the photo, along with a handful of other items, framed by Yesterday and Today Frame Shop, a 43-year old, locally owned business in Hillsborough. And as a Duke employee, Stanford is able to use a 15 percent discount at the shop.

“Any place that’s in your town, has a good reputation and will give you a discount, sounds like a winner,” Stanford said.

Duke employees receive discounts at a variety of businesses, including restaurants, golf courses, car washes and hair salons. In addition to Yesterday and Today Frame Shop, three other businesses offer framing discounts.

Sherry Gray, who has worked at Yesterday and Today Frame Shop for more than two decades, said Duke employees often bring items to her shop and take advantage of the discount.

“I think it’s two-fold,” she said of the reasons for offering the discounts. “Part of it is good business. It’s also a way to give back. We’re fortunate to live in an area that has Duke in its back yard.”

In addition to framing pictures, Yesterday and Today Frame Shop can create shadow boxes for keepsakes such as clothing or medals. Stanford recently had the shop build her a shadow box for the ribbons she won at the North Carolina State Fair for her canned goods.

“When you’ve got something you’re really proud of, you want somebody to take as good of care of it as you would,” Stanford said. “That’s why you go back to a business.”