by Margo Calllaghan

It was well over 20 years ago that Sally Elkins opened Shelburne Eyeworks in the Shelburne Bay Plaza. Back then, Elkins had a staff of one: herself. After four years of preparation, she sat for her American Board of Opticianry (ABO) exam and passed to become a licensed optician in 1983. While working for various opticians throughout Chittenden County, Elkins garnered ideas as to how she would perhaps someday open her own shop. The idea came to fruition in May of 1989 at the location she still operates at today.

"It could well be that I am one of only two or three other independent, women-owned retail optical stores in the state," Elkins commented.

As mentioned earlier, when the doors opened for business, it was Elkins behind the counter, and no one else. That remained the case until 1994, the year optometrist Dr. Raymond Barnes, OD joined Elkins, bringing a broader range of services to her customer base. In 2003, licensed optician Greg Gilmartin joined Shelburne Eyeworks. Now, between Elkins, Barnes, Gilmartin, and office assistant Allison Tinson, customers at Shelburne Eyeworks take advantage of a combined 60 years of optical experience, one of the many points of differentiation between Elkins' business and optical chain stores.

"We have customers who have come since we first opened, and now bring another generation to the store," said Elkins. As if to validate the point, Susan DuBrul came in the store with her grandson, Christian, both to purchase glasses. And both customers had plenty of frame styles to choose from. Eyeworks has over 600 frames on display, with the capability to cheerfully special order frames to assure customers have exactly the right size, shape, and color.

Size, shapes, and colors are constantly changing in eyeglass fashion. Elkins recalls that when her business first started, there were but three or four designers of eyewear. Now the store carries designs from Kate Spade and Vera Bradley, to Oakley (which was the designer of choice for Christian DuBrul). The current trends include detailed designs at the temples of frames. There is also a trend towards the retro look of thicker, darker frames in black and traditional tortoise shell.

What has changed? Besides the sheer number of eyewear designers now in the marketplace, the materials used in the manufacture of both lenses and frames have increased, and improved, since Elkins began her career.

"Glass was still the prevalent lens material when I first opened. Now the plastic lenses are offering wearers much safer and more durable lenses. That is not just for prescription glasses. On top of the 600 frames on display at Eyeworks, Elkins carries an estimated 150 styles of non-prescription sunglasses that are also much safer and more durable than the designs of 20 years ago. Then there is a new magnetic non-clip-on lens option that easily converts prescription glasses to sunglasses, sans the old-fashioned hook over method. "This is a great improvement that is just out," Elkins shared as she demonstrated the secure, magnetic fit of these sun lenses over their corresponding frame.

And finally, there is the equipment. Eyeworks boasts a new "remote digital tracer" that electronically transfers the necessary frame measurements and other data in order to facilitate the repair of lenses and frames, while allowing the glasses to remain with the owner. It saves time, and the inconvenience faced by people who can't be without their glasses while repairs are made.

"I've been a customer of Sally's since even before this store opened. I've followed her to wherever she worked," said Dorothy Edgerton, who along with her husband, Buddy, were in Eyeworks last week to see Dr. Barnes. "She has always made herself available to me, even on weekends - just incredible customer service!"

And that explains the longevity of this store over two decades, and its continued success throughout economic highs and lows.