Coventry Business eyeTrade Optical Shop Needs Your Support

The new coronavirus has changed life for all of us. Local businesses have taken a huge economic hit, but communities are finding creative ways to support the establishments they know and love.

In an effort to help local businesses in our communities stay connected and succeed, Patch will shine a light on some of them through a series of Q&A articles during this time.

eyeTrade Optical Shop is one of the businesses in town facing struggles during the coronavirus. You can lend your support by reading more about the company, below, and by contacting owner Sonya Maher here.

Tell us about your business and its history in your town.

Everything starts with a vision. My vision was to open up a new optical shop, and I wanted to bring back customer service and provide incredible, fashionable eyewear for all ages. My saying is, "Age is just a number and why even look your age?" I have a flair for fashion, and I love to bring out people's personalities in eyewear.

I was driving through the town of Coventry, and I fell in love with these two charming buildings in the Coventry Village. My vision became a reality and eyeTrade was born. I opened up an eyewear shop at the end of 2018 and I am having such an incredible time helping people out in so many ways, from getting fashionable eyewear for special events to helping people love their new look due to their glasses.

With every purchase of eyewear, I set aside money and I am now able to help people that are struggling in everyday life and give them eyewear. Lastly, with all my generous customers it has given me the platform to raise money for children who have special needs, which is the greatest feeling in the whole wide world.

How has the new coronavirus impacted your business and its employees?

COVID-19 has impacted my business in many ways. First, I had to lay off my only employee, which devastated me. We have such a connection with each other and she knows how much each of my clients mean to me. She knows how I like to cater to them — she is my right hand woman.

Second, I did a lot of outreach to senior centers, and that came to a screeching halt. I can no longer go to them and provide my eyewear services to them due to the lockdown in place. I miss their smiling faces along with their laughs and jokes.

I also have a concierge service where I go to businesses and homes where people are homebound or disabled. My business has been cut down dramatically, and I am open by appointment only.

How can local customers support you now and in the future?

Local customers can support me by ordering contacts online through my website and they are shipped directly to them. If anybody has a prescription or they received an updated prescription from an eye doctor, they can bring that to me and I can fill it at my shop with an incredible pair of eyewear. I am by appointment only.

In the future, I would love if each of my clients would talk about their experience and spread my name around so other clients would come and see me. Then, I could rehire the incredible employee that I had. That is what I want in the future for eyeTrade, as well as customer service that everybody will remember.

Do you have any words of encouragement for your community?

Together we will pull through this and make our village stronger than it ever was. Like the saying goes: "Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity that awaits for you in the future." I think with time we will become stronger, better people for ourselves, but also realize what's important to each other.

Are you offering any special services, promotions or hours during this time?

I offer the red carpet treatment in my optical shop with my customer service. I offer promotions every month. This month, I have two specials going. One is buy one pair of frames and lenses and get the second set of lenses half off. I also have buy one set of frames and lenses get second set of lenses free with a frame purchase. If anybody has any emergencies with their eyewear, I am always on-call at 860-498-0717. The only thing that has changed for now are my hours — I am by appointment only.

Do you own a local business in need of a feature on Patch? Fill out the questions in this form for consideration. Or, check out Patch's full list of resources for small businesses during the coronavirus crisis.

Thank you, and stay safe!