The 40-store Wisconsin Vision is rockin’ and rollin’, opening new locations in hip locales while staying true to its loyal customer base—a balancing act that’s paying off

the largest optical retailer in the state, the nearly 40-year-old Wisconsin Vision is on a roll. In fact, the chain opens its 39th and 40th locations this spring.

The secret sauce to its success? President and CEO Darren Horndasch explains that Wisconsin Vision’s accomplishments in today’s challenging optical market require solid vendor partnerships, the willingness to tap employees for ideas and adjust to shifting demographics, and the ability to adapt to the ever-evolving demands of managed care.

Founded in 1978 as a family-owned business serving local unions, Wisconsin Vision is now the largest independent optical retailer in the state, employing about 275 people (including doctors), with locations in nearby Indiana and Illinois (operating as Heartland Vision and Eye Boutique).

This chain sits in the sweet, midtier spot of optical retailing—neither a high-end boutique nor a value, BOGO player. But, as it expands into more upscale locations, Horndasch and his team are leveraging their relationships with existing vendors to bring in higher-profile, higher-priced brands and allowing those vendors to “bring their A game” to dedicated wall space and marketing opportunities. He credits constant evaluation and nimble adjustment as the keys to surviving (and growing) in today’s unique optical market.

Here, we sit down with Horndasch to learn more about this retailer’s secrets to success.

eb: How will these newest stores play a role in your expanded vision for your company?

dh: We are in all sorts of regions, and the newest [store], No. 40, is our first experience in a “lifestyle mall” setting—that is, [a mixed-use commercial development] with apartments, a grocery store, and restaurants. It’s our first venture into a lifestyle location, and because the main tenant is [upscale department store] Von Maur, it has the potential to drive a different clientele than our base locations.

eb: How will your product assortment and retail environment differ in the new, more upscale locations?

dh: We look at demographics. In No. 40, we have complete exclusivity, which means there will be no other optical competitor—no Sunglass Hut, no Solstice—and it’s open seven days a week. We’re going to increase our non-prescription sunwear to pull in walk-by traffic.

We aren’t a boutique—that’s not who we are—but we will bring in a different level of brands, let’s say Tom Ford as one example, that we don’t carry in our base locations.

eb: How will your inventory and merchandising be tailored to the demographic in your newer locations?

dh: We don’t want to become an eclectic brand, that’s not who we are. But we’re going to elevate the level of branding using our current vendor partners by allowing them to enhance the in-store experience. For example, in the Third Ward location, we created the largest Ray-Ban experience in the state. They brought in a wall wrap, basically a quarter of our store.

We will say [to vendors], “Bring us your A game in how you want your products represented. How can we make the in-store experience exciting?”

eb: How do you manage a business with 40 stores in demographically diverse locations?

dh: Part of it is building the algorithms where managed care is concerned. Our livelihood is based on determining what the reimbursements will be.

Fashion is the fun part of our business, but we are diligent about meeting with our partners every six months to determine if product is moving, if one brand isn’t selling—maybe Brand XYZ is hot today but will be out tomorrow. That’s why working with key vendor accounts is so important; so we aren’t stuck with product.

eb: Wisconsin Vision started out early with managed care. What changes have you seen?

dh: We aren’t just selling eyeglasses and eye exams and contact lenses anymore. We are managing relationships. Managed care companies require more from us today in terms of reporting pathologies and managing how many frames we buy and how many of our patients participate in our networks. So, a lot goes into managing this back engine now than it did 15 years ago.

eb: To what do you attribute your success as a company?

dh: It’s a tribute to our team. We tell our staff, “Tell us what you need to be successful,” and we listen. There is a lot of bottom-up feeding.

eb: How has the optical experience changed in the last 20 years?

dh: The Internet has changed all our lives—and retailing, in particular. That said, we need a well-trained staff that understand optics, so that they can troubleshoot if necessary.

We try to put programs in place that resonate with customers, shipping contact lenses directly to their homes, for example.

We also launched a new website and social media campaign recently, using Facebook and Instagram. We look at our Internet presence as a living, breathing organism by keeping it updated and fresh.

People want to know what you are doing tomorrow, not what you did yesterday.

—Frances Nuelle