Optical Prism November 2016 | Page 38

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‘ A PERFECT MIX OF SCIENCE AND FASHION ’

LAURA DRAYCOTT IS A CHIROPRACTOR -TURNED-OPTICIAN WHO HAS OPERATED HER OWN INDEPENDENT OPTICAL BOUTIQUE IN KELOWNA , B . C ., SINCE APRIL 2013 . WINK I WEAR HAS MORE THAN 1,000 FRAMES TO CHOOSE FROM AND DRAYCOTT SAYS PERSONALIZED SERVICE IS PARAMOUNT .
RECENTLY , OPTICAL PRISM SPOKE WITH DRAYCOTT ABOUT WHY SHE BECAME AN OPTICIAN , HER FASHION- FORWARD OPTICAL BOUTIQUE AND HER PLANS FOR THE FUTURE .
By Denis Langlois
Q / Please give me a brief history of your business ? A / I used to be a Chiropractor . There ’ s not much fashion or freedom of artistic expression in this career choice , so after a few years and some unusual life experiences , I found myself in need of a new career . The seeds for Wink i Wear were planted the minute I was re-introduced to the eyewear market as a presbyope . A myope for years , laser eye surgery in the early ‘ 90s eliminated my need for eyeglasses . After a second laser touch-up in my 40s , I was overcorrected to the point of needing to wear glasses full time again … and ( gasp ) multi-focals .
Disappointed at first , I started working at an independent optometric practice and fell in love with eyeglasses to the point of wanting them like shoes . I worked under Jim Stewart , a kind and patient mentor who trained me from scratch . Being an optician was the perfect mix of science and fashion that I was searching for , so I enrolled in the NAIT optical sciences program and became a licensed optician . In 2011 I moved to Kelowna with my boyfriend Stephen ( now husband ) and worked at a couple of optical places before deciding that Kelowna was lacking a non-cookie-cutter , cool eyewear boutique . I ’ d been to some Vision Expos and seen the incredible eyewear made by independent artisans and decided to try .
Q / What kind of clientele does your store service ? A / If I had to sum up my clientele in one word it would be “ authentic .” They are looking for eyewear that suits ‘ them .’ They want quality eyeglasses that look distinctive and represent who they are . I really try to create a boutique experience by listening to their needs and curate a collection of eyewear based on that . Because eyeglasses are their most important , necessary accessory , many have more than one pair . Some customers know exactly what they want , others need help and that ’ s where we come in .
Q / What are the primary brand names your store features ? What are your most popular styles ? A / Face a Face , Jacques Durand , Moscot , Pierre Cariven , Drift , Gold & Wood , but I enjoy searching and experimenting to see what works , so we have many other lines .
Q / What kind of marketing tools do you use ? A / We ’ ve tried everything -- radio , print , Internet , social media , etc ., but what really works best for us is word-of-mouth .
Q / What are some of the benefits of operating an independent outlet ? A / I have the unique privilege of being able to stoke and maintain my own creativity and personal passion for what I do , every single day . I am able to travel with a purpose and explore other countries looking for unique eyewear .
Q / Are there any changes or plans for the future for the store ? A / I try to focus on how to optimize the current business and our brand , but I have been astounded by our growth in a relatively short period of time . This success has given us the ability to consider expansion . We are carefully looking at different options to bring what we hope is a unique vision to more people . There are so many moving parts to consider with expansion and we want to proceed diligently .