When a store is named "Fast Frame," it's pretty easy to guess that one of the services on offer is speedy custom framing. While it's true that they can turn around a custom-ordered frame in 24 hours and provide a frame from stock materials in as little as 30 minutes, that would only be a very small part of the picture, however.

Hacienda's Fast Frame franchise, owned by Gayle and Ken Muehring, provides framing services using the finest materials. The store features a choice of hundreds of different moldings; prints; limited edition art and serigraphs; original art; and more.

The Muehrings purchased the store in 1994. It was a natural fit for Gayle, an artist whose watercolors and acrylics are sold at the store. Employee John Balloue is also a nationally-known Native American artist.

That artistic background means that the store's staff can also offer assistance in choosing art for a restaurant or office which complements the business's decor and atmosphere.

"We have done a lot of commercial sales," explains Gayle.

"We can coordinate with the designer or the individual in the ordering of artwork to fit the environment," adds store manager David Nee.

Traditional art is not the only thing that is framed these days, though. Fast Frame provides framing services to the City of Pleasanton for awards and items like mayoral proclamations. It doesn't stop there, however.

"We've framed some unusual things in the past," says Gayle. "We made a very long, narrow shadow box for a golf club that was used to hit a hole-in-one. We do a lot of shadow boxes for things like plates and baby shoes."

Gayle is particularly proud of their vast selection of moldings, which range from simple to grand.

"I could spend hours talking about molding," she says. "Styles change from year to year, depending on decorator trends. One year it might be a woodsy, rustic look, next year it might be a polished or Mediterranean look."

The most popular frames now are sleek, contemporary polished woods or moldings with texture, says Gayle.

"We always carry a line of traditional moldings - the gold leaf, various woods. That's always in style," she adds.

In addition to the prints and original art in stock, the store carries catalogs of available prints which can be ordered. Fast Frame is located at 4833 Hopyard Road in Gateway Square. Their phone number is (925) 416-1148.

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