The owners of Clary Sage, a new Durham store specializing in vintage items and unique gifts, wanted to create an identity that was just as quirky and beautiful as the items they sold. They tapped the services of Distill, and found themselves with the perfect solution faster than they ever imagined possible.

"We couldn't believe it," said Melinda Marlette, who co-owns Clary Sage with Sally Sullivan. "I was expecting it to take a lot longer for a designer to 'get' our vision, but Distill very quickly provided us with several truly outstanding logos to choose from."

Marlette and Sullivan selected a custom-made, hand-lettered logo that reflects the one-of-a-kind nature of the store's offerings. Distill has incorporated the logo's look and feel to store signage, business cards and direct mail pieces.

"This assignment has been a lot of fun," said Adam Cohen, Distill's founder and creative director. "By necessity, our communication with Melinda has been more visual than verbal. She came to us with this amazing collection of gifts, books, and illustrations to describe her store's aesthetic. It made it very easy to get on her wavelength, and the ideas just started flowing."

The store specializes in unusual, affordable gifts — both new and vintage — from all over the world. Clary Sage, which literally translates to "Clear Eye," is a Mediterranean herb whose name and distinct, lilac flowers have always been a favorite of Marlette's. The store's tagline is "Secrets for the Home."

Clary Sage is located at 4422 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard in Durham.