A strikingly modern approach to the optical retail world, G is for Glasses is a long overdue injection of fun, inclusivity and colour. Celebrating their fast-approaching 10th anniversary, Eyestylist was delighted to sit down with the creative, driven and exciting team in discussing their story, plans for the future and more.
Tell us a little bit about the road you took to establish G is for Glasses. Manitoba highway 309 was the literal road that led us to creating G is for Glasses; that road takes you to Big Whiteshell Lake in Manitoba and the location of Jessie’s family cottage. Over some chilled Chardonnay and a thrilling game of Scrabble, we decided to open an optical shop. Jessie is an optometrist and had been practicing for 5 years in Winnipeg – she just didn’t see herself long term in any of the existing offices, but saw the potential of independent opticals in other cities. Bonni had never worked in optical before, however with 20ish years in retail she was certain she could sell some spectacles and had creative ideas for days. We were both at the point in our careers where we needed a change, so we decided to take the plunge and start our own thing. We are cousins, so focusing on smaller independent brands was an easy choice to maintain the family roots of our business. Above: The G Girls, Jessie and Bonni, the creators of G is for Glasses, a friendly, neighbourhood independent optical store
What is it about your brand that sets it apart from the rest? We set out to open a shop that was more than just a place to get your eyes checked and to buy a pair of glasses: we wanted to create a glasses culture that was inclusive to all humans. We are very passionate about independent eyewear as well as educating our customers and patients about the value of the design, skill and process that goes into each frame we sell. Our brand is not just our store but an extension of ourselves. We totally embrace being referred to as “The G Girls” and 100% endorse our shop simply being called “G”. When our clients are asked where they bought their glasses, they just don’t answer with G is for Glasses but talk about the experience, the people and our shop’s environment. Nothing builds a brand faster than word of mouth, and Winnipeggers love to chat.
Who is someone you see as aspirational or inspirational in terms of design? Hard to narrow it down to one, but if we are looking at something new and fresh that we are super into these days it is VADA Eyes. Katie Caplener and her team are doing exciting things over at VADA, using her jewelry background and sourcing of vintage acetates. Their colours are vibrant and their shapes are hitting new limits. Straight up a banger of a collection and brand, these ladies are true Kauboi’s (IYKYK) in the landscape of our industry.
How do you identify and define your customer base? We have a super wide and diverse range of clientele, but we do take pride in having created a safe space for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Is there a specific process you take to select the brands or frames you stock in-store? It’s a combination of talking to our friends in the industry, talking to our clients, snooping and engaging on social media and going to the shows (especially European shows). It’s an ongoing process making sure we have brands we believe in, having a good array of designs and also not being afraid to make mistakes.
What pair of frames, if any, illustrates your personality best? If you mean G is for Glasses: anything orange. If you mean Jessie: anything neon. If you mean Bonni: the bigger the better.
Do you think social media is an integral part of owning an eyewear boutique these days? Maintaining a solid social media presence is still a great way to set yourself apart and show people why they should shop with you and be a part of what you have created. We use our outlets more to show people who we are, show us having fun behind the scenes of G and what is happening in our community, while sprinkling in all the beautiful eyewear that is arriving in the shop on a regular basis.
Would you rather: extravagance or minimalism? Impossible to answer, we love both! In terms of brands, our top sellers would fall under the more minimal classic design category, but we are always drawn to the wild extravagant frames and want them on our shelves no matter what.
Do you have any exciting news or updates on the horizon? We opened our business after working zero days in optical sales, so as we approach our 10th birthday we are going to fully renovate the optical area. We have done a few small-to-medium updates as we learned the flow of our shop, but need to go bigger now. We have new ideas, coupled now with a ton of experience, to make design changes that will keep G feeling fresh and provide an even better customer experience.
What is the big dream for G is for Glasses? Simple – just make this a place we want to keep coming back too. Nothing complicated. We opened G because we both wanted to enjoy coming to work, so our big dream is to keep the ship sailing, keep it evolving, always having fun.
G is for Glasses, 3-1176 Taylor Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3M 3Z4
Find out more about the store at www.gisforglasses.com / An interview feature written by Victoria G. L. Brunton exclusively for Eyestylist.com.