Framed
Q. How did you come to open
Lunetterie ORA?
A. I started working in the eye-
wear industry by chance. I was 19,
finishing a course in theatre. Since
I am very short-sighted, I went
to buy glasses in a small eyewear
store, Les Branchés in St-Jérôme.
The owners were looking for a new
stylist and, as we immediately got
from P.E.I. (Fellow Earthlings) and
one from Vancouver (Spectacle
Eyeworks). As for metal frames, we
had to go for European manufac-
turing - a brand based in Toronto
but that manufactures its frames
in Italy (Opticianado) and two that
manufacture frames with durable
materials of exceptional quality
(Ahlem and Mykita).
on well, they offered me an inter-
Love
at the
heart of
business
By Denis Langlois
Optician Catherine Pelletier Lauzon
says love is at the heart of the busi-
ness model for her Montreal optical
shop, Lunetterie ORA.
Her love for the environment is evi-
dent in her decision to sell mostly Ca-
nadian-made frames and only ethically
created products. Her love for her
community is reflected in her decision
to donate two per cent of eyewear
sales to local organizations.
“I will boldly tell you that I believe that
love is at the center of all my decisions.
view and job.
I gradually gained responsibilities
Q. Tell us about your donations
to charity.
within their company. I trained A. Each year, we choose three
stylists, hired, opened stores, traveled organizations operating in Ville-
internationally to represent the own- ray which are submitted to us by
er’s brand of frames, Faniel eyewear. customers and neighbours. We give
After working with them for almost
four years, we felt the time had come
for me to pursue my path differently.
I returned to school to become an
optician in order to have my own
independent eyewear shop. Person-
ally, having very strong ecological,
ethical and social values, I quickly
realized there was room in the Mon-
treal industry for an eyewear shop
advocating these values.
At the end of my studies, I worked
in a high-end optical store for six
months, after my internship there,
and worked a year and a half for
Bonlook as their chief optician for
them two per cent of our eyewear
sales during our annual birthday
party on Nov. 29. We change organi-
zations every year to give back to as
many different people as possible.
Each customer gets to choose which
of the three local charities to donate
to when they buy a pair of glasses.
During the party, each organization
gets the chance to talk to our cus-
tomers, partners and friends about
their actions in our community.
Q. What do you enjoy most about
running an independent eyewear
business?
Quebec. I then felt the time had come A. I particularly like the chance I
for me to get started and open ORA. I have to share authentic moments
left Bonlook in July 2018 and opened with my customers, frame manu-
my store Nov. 29, 2018. facturers and employees. To feel
that we connect at the level of our
In this sense, I believe that it is neces-
values and that we act concretely
sary to prioritize the ecology, the com- Q. Tell us more about the local/eth- munity and all that relates to human ically made products in your shop. happiness in general,” she says. A. There are not many frame manu- it gives me in terms of creativity.
Optical Prism recently spoke with facturers in Canada, so we managed For example, we founded a local
Catherine about her relatively new to find a Montreal manufacturer book club to meet with our custom-
optical business, which also employs a (C Lunettes), a Toronto manufac- ers and friends by talking about
stylist and two optometrists. turer (Look Again Eyewear), one literature once a month. OP
44 Optical Prism | March 2019
everyday in order to make the
world better. I also like the freedom
Lunetterie ORA founder
Catherine Pelletier Lauzon