FRAMEBUYER / BUYER’S FORUM

Past, Present, and Future

A new dispensary aims for success by blending vintage and modern eyewear

Siobhán Burns opened The Eyeglass Lass in New London, CT, this year, bringing a blend of cutting-edge and vintage designs together in an artistic, eclectic shop.

This month the store owner and director on the Board of the Connecticut Opticians Association speaks with Eyecare Business about planning an inventory that mixes the past, present, and future for a successful optical cocktail.

1. HOW DO YOU MIX VINTAGE INTO YOUR INVENTORY?

I myself am a fan of unique vintage eyewear, and a lot of the people in the city where my store is located are as well, so I thought it would be fun to have it as an option for clients in house.

I only sell NOS (new old stock) so there is much less “risk” involved in relation to the durability of the frames. I tend to hunt down box lots of duplicates, so that gives me back-up if there are any major issues down the road. Those who really want true vintage eyewear are going to hunt it out themselves and purchase lenses somewhere; it might as well all be at The Eyeglass Lass!

2. WHAT IS THE MIX OF NEW AND VINTAGE...HOW DO YOU DISPLAY THEM?

I maybe have 150 to 200 vintage frames at present; it isn’t my “go-to” by any means. I display some of them almost just as conversation pieces. Most of the people coming in looking for vintage say so the moment they open the door, then I bring out more of the options in stock.

3. WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST INTERESTING ABOUT HOW YOUR CLIENTS SELECT EYEWEAR?

I have always lived for the “say yes to the dress” moment when helping people with finding their new frames; nothing beats seeing someone realize they just found something they love!

It is really exciting for me when clients select something they never thought they could “pull off” wearing; if it caught their eye for whatever reason I think they should try it on, and a lot of times that funkier/brighter/different frame looks fantastic! The reaction people have to my inventory has been really positive; my goal was to build up an inventory of lines not common or readily available in the area, and it has been well received.

Hot Stuff…

We asked The Eyeglass Lass herself, Siobhán Burns, what she sees as the next big thing for her shop and what brands she loves. She noted: “I am personally OBSESSED with l.a. Eyeworks, and it seems to be catching on around here! The line has such a wide variety of shapes and color ways; there really is something for everyone. I’ve had a lot of requests lately for white and BRIGHT frames, so that is a match made in optical heaven!”

Want to talk about what gives your frame buying flair? Please email executive editor Amy Spiezio, Amy.Spiezio@PentaVisionMedia.com