By Elaine Happ, OD
Energize your optical sales by creating a large, well-planned space that fulfills your total vision. Don’t settle for the physical space you inherited. Invest well in a renovation–and see a measurable return.
When you move into a new retailspace,youinherit all of its attributes–and all of its limitations. You try to do the best you can with it, jazzing it up as much as youcan.If you move into an existing optical shop space, it may have worked when the practice first began, but it may no longer suit your patient volume or demographics.
In 2005, I made a major decision. I decided my practice was in need of a majoroptical shop space. We moved to a new location and gaveit a major renovation to providea fresh and exciting new optical shop.
Elaine Happ, OD, had a vision for an indoor park, complete with artificial (though real looking) trees, for the revamped optical shop of her practice, Uptown Eye Care in Monticello, Minn.
Have You Outgrown Your Optical Shop?
When I started Uptown Eye Care in Monticello, Minnesota, in1997, we only had 1,300 sq. ft. of total office space. This was fine when there were only three staff and myself. It only had one pre-testing room and two exam rooms. The lab area was small, and there was no break room.But it was my first practice that I started cold. I couldn’t afford much. I decorated all of it, including the optical shop, with a Greek look. Three tall white pillars separated the optical part of the office from the rest of the practice.
How Easy Is Your Space to Renovate?
We spent $300,000 to renovate our new space, tearing down some walls and adding others to change it from the florist to the optometric practice it is today. The optical shop revamp which the new large office space allowed has already paid off. We grew 10 percent every year in the optical leading up to the remodel. Once we did the remodel, we saw larger numbers in optical growth, more like 15 percent. That percentage continues to grow today.
The updated optical shop of Uptown Eye Care features upscale-looking counter space for working with opticians.
Don’t Be Afraid to Follow Your Vision
When we expanded to a 5,000 sq. ft office, I knew exactly what I wanted. The space had been a floral shop. It had pavers for the floor in some parts so the owner could water all the plants as they sat on the floor. The extra water just seeped into the sand below the pavers. I wanted to keep the pavers. I remembered being in Las Vegas atCaeser’s Palace. I loved that feeling of being outside when you were actually indoors. Using the pavers as the anchor, I decided to make it look and feel like you were in a park.
Decide the Statement You Want to Make
The statement I wanted to make: “This is different,” “This is new” and “WOW.” The first thing you notice is the trees. We have several tall artificial trees in our optical. Similar ones are featured at the Mall of America here in Minneapolis. We have park benches, street lights and a couple of fountains. As you can imagine, achieving this look was not cheap. We paid upwards of around $20,000 for the optical shop redesign after already spending $300,000 to purchase the new office space. I don’t remember the break down of each item but I know the artificial trees were expensive.
The updated optical shop of Uptown Eye Care now also features a rainforest-themed children’s area, one of the more recent additions to the ever-evolving dispensary space.
Creativity Scores Points with Patients
The trees in our shop are the most popular. We have a little toy koala bear hidden up in the branches. When the kids find it they get a gift certificate for an ice cream cone at McDonalds. The other big improvement patients appreciate is the privacy they now feel when trying on frames. Before, our reception area was in the middle with eyeglasses on the wall around the parameter of the office. Patients felt as if the people in the chairs were staring at their butts as they tried on frames. Now, with the new design, patients trying on frames are somewhat isolated by the head to knee length mirror and frame board. We have heard them singing along to the music as they try on frames in private.
Decide on Frame Lines to Match New Shop Look
With the new look, we wanted new frame lines. We took some chances with frames we normally didn’t carry. Some worked, some didn’t. One of the lines we added was Swarovski. They had a high price point, which is what we wanted. We decided to set ourselves apart from the Target’s and Walmart’s by offering more designer lines. We also did some merchandising for the first time. We now showcase the designer rather than having just “men’s” and “women’s” sections.
Continue to Evolve Style
The main revamp has been complete for years now, but we continue to make improvements. We have added a kids section and keep changing it up. We started with a small selection of kids frames and a camping theme. The tent took a beating. We have since changed it to a rain forest theme and added more frames.We have a stuffed alligator, a wall mural and some monkeys hanging from the open ceiling. We have also added carpet around the street lights and under the frame boards to prevent the breakage we had with only the pavers under the displays. In the future, we want to add more wall displays. We use optometric conferences like Vision Expo East and West to get new ideas for future optical shop improvements.
Revamp Your Optical Shop: Keys to Remember
Get creative.One of my Minnesota optometric colleagues dida Sinclair Lewis Main Street theme in his office. Another did a Northern Minnesota woods theme. They both turned out great. Remember, your optical shop doesn’t have to–nor should it–look like a stereotypical doctor’s office.
Plan for messy phase. There is a lot of relearning and staff adjustment time. Expect some lows before the highs, meaning expect the same kind of temporary inconvenience and discomfort you would experience when renovating your home. Be sure to put a sign in your dispensary during the process apologizing for the mess and letting patients know that you are doing it to improve their experience. Once the shop revamp is complete, your staff will need time to adjust to working in the new space.
Promote, Promote, Promote. After your renovation is complete, have an open house or Chamber of Commerce after-hours event. Get the community excited about your change by letting business leaders and their friends see it in person.
Don’t do it on the cheap. Don’t suffer from “penny wise, pound foolish” thinking. The corners you cut to save money now may mean patient discomfort or inconvenience later. For example, if you need to pay a little extra for an enlarged browsing area or you need additional wall space for a few more full-length mirrors, try to find the money to do it. Similarly, don’t be stingy about refusing help from a professional office designer. Not all ODs are born with an artistic eye–take advantage of the help that is available. Pay a little extra for a designer if renovation and redecoration are not among your talents.
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Elaine Happ, OD, is the owner of Uptown Eye Care in Monticello, Minn. To contact her: Laniperry2010@hotmail.com.
