framed
Passion for
fashion
By Denis Langlois
Optician Sue Randhawa is a self-pro-
claimed “fashionista with a passionista.”
The owner of The Optical Boutique
in the Vancouver neighbourhood of
Kerrisdale is deeply involved in the city’s
fashion scene, often collaborating with
emerging designers on the runway
and in editorials and video shoots.
Her passion, she says, is helping people
to pick out the perfect frames.
“I love what I do – selling eyewear is
so much more than just letting a client
choose a frame. It’s a vehicle for
self-expression,” she says.
“Fashion has no barriers – it isn’t gender
specific nor does it judge based on
colour or religion. I look at each person
that I fit as an individual and if I can
impart a little bit of that on them, I’ll
be happy!”
Randhawa has 28 years of experience
in the optical industry. She started work-
ing at See and Save Optical, opened in
1979 by Fred and Almaza Kroeschel, in
1997. A decade later, she purchased the
business, later renamed The Optical
Boutique. Recently, Optical Prism spoke
with Randhawa about her store and
the recipe for its success.
Q. What kind of clientele does your store service?
A. The clientele is quite diverse at The Optical Boutique. Our main demographic
is primarily the 60+ age group; well-educated, professional people. Because of
our growth on social media, we now have a strong following of the 25+ age group
– the newly graduated millennials.
Q. What are the primary brand names your store features? What are your
most popular styles?
A. Our two most popular collections would have to be Anne et Valentin and
Theo. We’re a small store with limited board space so I have to be careful with
what I choose to carry, but we do very well with Dita, Kirk and Kirk, FaceaFace
and Jacques Marie Mage as well.
Q. What kind of marketing tools do you use?
A. I’ve been very fortunate because I’ve never had to advertise. We take most of
the money that we could spend on paid advertising and instead put it back into
creating the customer experience. Then we let the customers be our marketing.
Our number one growth driver has been from repeat customers who tell their
friends about us. There is no better testimonial than word-of-mouth.
Q. What are some of the benefits of operating an independent outlet?
A. The biggest benefit of operating an independent business is that I have the
freedom to make decisions very quickly. This ranges from who I hire, what
trade shows to attend and what collections to bring in.
OPTICAL PRISM | May 2018 42