Owner’s personal style shines in creative framing

Here’s a smart marketing tip: If one is opening a new business during the holidays, put it near a major shipping center.

That’s been a key to success for Bella Custom Framing and Gifts, which has seen plenty of increased holiday business due to its location near the UPS Store on North Sullivan Road.

“We’ve only been open for about two weeks and it’s been going pretty good,” said owner Jeni Watts.

She and husband, Greg, opened the store, 509 N. Sullivan Road, because it was time for her to have creative control over her work environment, Watts said.

“It just came to be a time where it just felt really natural,” she said. “The timing was right. This is the fun part.”

Watts has been working in custom framing in Spokane since 1984. She also grew up in the area.

She brings a very personal style to her framing, Watts said. Her previous employers weren’t as keen on letting her add personal touches on the mats.

Now Watts can add cutouts to her mats, and place objects inside, such as adding an arrowhead into the mat of a Bev Doolittle print.

She also can build the frame that surrounds the picture, and Watts is skilled at making shadow boxes, she said.

“My background is really the creative part,” Watts said. “The last places I worked at didn’t like a lot of extra embellishments on the mats.”

Bella Custom Framing and Gifts isn’t all about framing pictures, though, Watts said.

“We’ve got some really unique lines that aren’t really available in other places,” she said.

Watts said she’s been surprised to discover the interest in the gifts at her store.

“When I originally started, I thought it would be 65 percent framing here,” she said. “Now I think it’s really going to be half and half.”

Watts said a goal is to expand to Liberty Lake.

“I would love to be able to do a second store,” she said.