In the beginning …… Celebrating our 21st birthday
Hi again
A lot has happened since I wrote to you last. We have a fabulous new ottoman, new reception chairs and we have rendered the front of the shop ready for painting. For those of you walking past over the last few weeks, you would have seen 7 sample colours on the front of our shop. We have chosen the colour. Keep your eyes peeled for the big reveal!
The biggest thing to happen in May was the celebration of our 21st birthday. In my last blog, I promised to take you back to the very beginning. I have attached some photos of Elizabeth and I setting up. For those of you that don’t know, the shop used to be known as Elizabeth Wilson Optometrist. We opened on the 15th May 1997 at 49a Majors Bay Road. We moved to our current location 5 doors down in Nov 2009. Maria and I bought the practice from Elizabeth in 2015 and renamed it.
Things were a lot different back then. There was no internet and no commander phone systems. We didn’t have a fax machine when we started and on front desk, there was a huge typewriter. We used to type a reminder address label for every patient and put it in a file box that was divided into months. When the appropriate month rolled around, we’d stick the label on an envelope and mail a reminder letter! Oh boy, how times have changed. I can’t stretch my memory back that far, but I think that system lasted about 6 months to a year!!
We pretty much did all the fitout ourselves except the putting up of walls and of course the electrical and plumbing. It was full of colour. Friends and family all helped. We bought a sink for 10 bucks at someone’s garage sale. As you can see, my dear Dad built legs for it! One day a truck pulled up out the front and when they opened the roller door there was a huge wooden box in there that looked like a coffin. Things got a bit out of control when they started carrying it towards the shop. Turns out it was our new sunglasses stand transported in a big pine box. My Dad turned it into a side return for the desk. It lasted 12 years. The photo of Elizabeth with the appointment book by the way is of her making the first ever appointment.
I have appreciated the support of all our patients over the last 21 years and when the decision came to purchase the practice from Elizabeth, I greatly valued the loyalty you had all given me. It made the decision so much easier just by thinking of you. So a big thank you from myself and a big thank you as well to Maria who bought the practice with me. It’s been a joy so far and I know there will be many more years to come.
We have some lovely new frames in store including the fabulously bright Jono Hennessy as well as new Furla optical. Take a look at our Facebook page for more pictures.
I’ll sign off for now but I’ll be sure to write again soon. If you have any questions be sure to email me.
With warm wishes
Sarah