framed
FOCUSED ON
THE CUSTOMER
By Denis Langlois
KRYSTEN ADAMS LOKMANIS,
OWNER OF HANLEY'S EYEWEAR
BOUTIQUE, SAYS THE VISION FOR
HER STORE IS TO “OFFER THE
BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE, BE
FASHION-FORWARD AND FOCUS
ON UNCOVERING SMALL
INDEPENDENT DESIGNERS AND
SHOWCASING THEIR EYEWEAR.”
Located in “The Phillipo House,” a
heritage building in the heart of Ancaster, Ont., Hanley's opened in May 2009
and currently has four employees,
including licenced opticians and frame
consultants. The store also has an
optometrist onsite.
The store sells unique eyewear by
multiple brands to appeal to a diverse
customer base. Recently, Adams Lokmanis discussed her business and its
future with Optical Prism.
Q. What kind of clientele does
your store service?
A. Our clientele is very passionate
about eyewear, as they enjoy expressing
their personality through interesting,
unique and one-of-a-kind eyewear.
They have an appreciation for goodquality frames and lenses and enjoy
staying current with the latest trends.
Q. Why Ancaster?
A. Ancaster is a little hidden gem west
of the city. It is a midpoint between
Toronto and Niagara Falls. The community and people of Ancaster are
54 Optical Prism | September 2016
very warm, friendly and enjoy the
latest trends in fashion. For the local
and surrounding communities, there
is no need to travel to Toronto to find
fashion; it is right here in the heart of
Ancaster. My family roots are here in
Ancaster, as my family has owned a
business and supported the community for the past 15 years. I saw a great
opportunity to continue my family's
tradition and open my own optical
boutique.
Q. What are the primary brand
names your store features?
A. We feature ophthalmic brands such
as Face a Face, Theo, Oliver Peoples,
Barton Perreira, Caroline Abram,
Prodesign, Vanni, Etnia Barcelona,
Martin&Martin, Tom Ford, Blackfin
and Private Eyewear. We feature s
unglass brands such as Thierry Lasry,
Dita, Thom Browne, Tom Ford, Oliver
Peoples, Barton Perriera, Linda
Farrow, Ray-Ban, Maui Jim.
Q. What are your most popular
styles?
A. Our clients love colourful and funky
to simple and classic. We are loving
the cat-eye shapes for women and retro
round for men. It really depends on
the client's personality, lifestyle and
comfort level.
Q. What kind of marketing tools do
you use?
A. We advertise locally in the Ancaster
News, Dundas Star, Hamilton Magazine
and West of the City. We also have a new
designed website that is frequently
updated with new styles and fashion
trends. We also use social media such
as Facebook and Instagram that get
updated with pictures daily.
Q. What are some of the benefits of
operating an independent outlet?
A. Being an independent gives me the
ability to make my vision a reality. As
a buyer, I have the freedom to choose
and offer to my clients unique frames
and the lenses that will best suit their
lifestyle and needs. The best part is we
can give our clients one-on-one attention
and educate them on frames and lenses.
Q. Are there any changes or plans for
the future for the store?
A. We are constantly making improvements on the business monthly and on
a quarterly basis. We are continuously
looking for new exciting designers and
brands. It is my personal passion to offer
exciting and interesting collections to
my clients.