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Eyes Open, an ‘optique’ on West 184th Street and Broadway offers high-end eyeglasses for every taste and budget. Elissette Caballero, proud owner of the shop prides herself in finding the best fit for each customer.
Story and photos by Gloria Pazmiño
“This is a dream come true,” says Elissette Caballero.
Far from starry-eyed, the female entrepreneur believes she sees things very clearly. She utters these words about her own storefront business, a small space just off the corner on West 184th Street and Broadway.
She is elated, she explains, to be able to bring local residents the kinds of high-end quality product they might typically seek downtown. Making northern Manhattanites realize they don’t need to go downtown: that was one of Caballero’s chief motivations and the inspiring force behind her new business, the Eyes Open ‘Optique,’ an eyewear boutique that is not just chic and modern, but also seeks to cater to what Caballero calls “mi barrio, y todos los que viven aquí [her neighborhood and all who live here].”
Open for four months, the shop was the former home of a real estate office, which Caballero explains had been there for decades. The former office space, run down and outdated, was transformed into a bright and modern space that appears much bigger than the past digs.
Articulate, warm, and passionate about her work, Caballero, a resident of Washington Heights for more than 20 years and native of the Dominican Republic, said her background in architecture helped her to create and design her store.
The “Optique,” nestled tight between a coffee shop and a residential building, catches the eye with its sleek awning’s design that reads “Algo Diferente [Something Different].”
Once you step in, the space is bright and airy, with sleek lines and painted in a bright orange hue: Caballero’s favorite.
Lining the walls are neatly arranged shelves displaying samples of the newest in eyewear design, ranging from names as famed as Gucci to the more taste-specific Matisse. There is Fendi, Christian Dior, and Prada, to name only a few. From the luxurious Versace to the hip and fashionable Ray-Bans, “Eyes Open” caters to all tastes, while keeping budget and affordability in mind.
From 5th Avenue to West 184th and Broadway, the designer pieces make their way to Heights with the help of Caballero’s discerning eye.
“Believe it or not, many in our community are still very conservative when it comes to some fashion. They like the more classic designs and [also] whatever is trending at that time,” said Caballero.
Nevertheless, there are also some among her growing clientele who opt for the more daring designs, such as a wide sunglass lens flanked by an intricately adorned frame- and often a hefty price tag.
“That’s what it’s about; we have something for every taste and budget. If the customer loves it, and it looks good on them, I’m satisfied. I know they’ll be back.” says Caballero, certain in her belief that her business model will indeed be a success.
It took a little more than just painting the walls and redesigning the place for Eyes Open to stock up on the designer goods they offer. The process, a series of applications and meetings with brand representatives who study the place for approval is only the beginning.
As Caballero explained, “you just don’t go to Gucci and pick out a few pieces.”
“When you’re selling a brand, their representatives want to make sure that your boutique is a good stage for their product,” she explained. Then, after opening accounts with each representative, comes the fun part, where Caballero picks and chooses from the season’s designs, picking which models to sell.
“When customers walk in, they’ll get a service they might not get at the average optical store,” says Caballero. “Here, they can be sure that I’ll suggest what looks good on them, and work to find the best fit according to their taste and budget.”
Caballero’s experience in the optical industry goes back as far as a generation. Her mother owns a similar boutique in the Dominican Republic.
“This business has been in the family for a long time, and it was a dream of mine to bring it to the Heights,” she reflected.
Sitting behind the store’s glass counter, Caballero says the realization that her neighborhood was going through a dramatic change was key to building a concept that that would cater to local customers.
“The neighborhood is changing, we have bars, and restaurants and coffee shops, but we need our local people to support these [kinds of] businesses as well,” she says.
Although the boutique doesn’t provide prescription services yet, customers can simply bring in their prescription and leave the rest up to Caballero. So far, her best clients have been those who walk in not too sure of what they’ll find, but Caballero prides herself on finding the right fit.
“I had a guy come in looking for me to adjust his frame,” she laughs. “He wound up buying two new ones and sending his friend in. He was happy.”
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