Framed
Q. Tell us about the colourful, funky
layout of G is for Glasses. Why was this the
kind of environment you wished to create?
A. We wanted to create a welcoming,
fun, inclusive environment where everyone
feels comfortable finding their new look
and becomes genuinely excited about being
bespectacled.
G’s aesthetic is “anything goes,” which is
anchored by cottage-inspired pine board
walls, black-and-white tiled flooring and a
10-foot built-in bookcase.
A for Awesome
By Denis Langlois
G is for Glasses is a fun and funky optical boutique in
Winnipeg that deserves an A for awesome.
The optician bar was designed with the
hopes that parties could also be hosted
there and is also sturdy enough to dance
on. We keep it fresh by mixing up the visual
merchandising multiple times a year so that
it will always feel familiar yet new at the
same time.
Q. Tell me about your clientele and the
types of products you offer.
Fillmore, who had graduated from the Illinois College of
Optometry in 2009 and moved back to Winnipeg to start
practicing, realized there wasn’t a practice in the Manitoba
capital that matched her style and personality. A. Our clientele is super diverse which we
love. We speak to people who are seeking
classic frames done differently. One of our
favourite things to hear from customers is
that in the past they had struggled to find
one frame they liked, but at G their short-
list is 10 frames. We select our brands first
and foremost on them being independent.
Design, engineering and quality are also
extremely important to us, as well as having
a personal connection to the brand itself.
O’Hara, who has a background in retail management and
visual merchandising, was also ready for a career change to
better suit her lifestyle. Q. Do you have new things planned for
the business?
Opened in June 2014 by cousins Dr. Jessie Fillmore and Bon-
ni O’Hara, the shop features an unconventional layout and
decorations that are both welcoming and intriguing.
The idea to open the business was hatched on a summer
evening at a cottage, while Fillmore and O’Hara enjoyed a
bottle of Chardonnay.
They soon realized their backgrounds fit perfectly to create a
trendy optical shop.
G is for Glasses now has three full-time employees - lens
specialist Ken Bond, optician Kelsey Kinsman and “director
of first impressions” Mel Peter. Associate optometrist Dr.
Jocelyn Radaweic sees patients on Thursdays as well.
Recently, Optical Prism magazine spoke with Fillmore and
O’Hara about G is for Glasses and plans for the future.
40 Optical Prism | November 2019
A. Future plans for our business include pro-
viding eyecare and eyewear to communities
who do not have access to these services.
We also want to ensure we are continually
evolving our eyewear collections to facilitate
our client’s exposure to quality, independent
eyewear. We strive to give Winnipeggers the
best frames the world has to offer. OP