Blink Optical Boutique is a one-stop shop for all things eyecare and eyewear. Receive expert screenings and exams or shop their high-quality selection of designer frames. Optometrist and owner Dr. Suzanne Evano Hauck is proud to say that at Blink, customers can do it all!
Tell us about the variety of eyecare services and products offered at Blink.
We provide routine eye exams for a wide range of ages, pre- and post-operative care for eye surgeries, retinal screening for diabetics and specialty contact lens fittings that include bifocals and astigmatism. We have fun with our clients to make the whole Blink experience a memorable one.
We offer a wonderful selection of high-quality, trendy and custom-made eyewear and sunglass products. We sell cash-and-carry sunglasses as well, with no prescription. We have an in-house lab to edge your eyeglass lens to ensure the utmost quality control and the ability to produce our product for the customer even quicker.
Do you have to be a patient to shop at the store?
We encourage anyone to use our services, and we accept outside prescriptions from other optometrists or ophthalmologists when purchasing eyeglasses or contact lenses. We can have your contact lens products delivered to us on the next business day for convenience, or even home delivery. People come from far and near because of our consistent selection and fantastic customer service. So, no, you don't have to be a patient to shop with us. But to be honest, once people realize they can do it all with us, we have many who convert to having all services done under one roof.
Tell us about some of the notable brands that you carry. What is the selection like? How often do you order new styles?
We have been on 19th Street for 13 years carrying some brands that entire time because of their quality, workmanship and constantly changing designs, which makes working with those companies a true pleasure. Some of those brands include ic! berlin, Francis Klein, FACE A FACE, Etnia Barcelona, Walter Wissing, BLAC, Bruno Chaussignand, Ray-Ban, Kaenon Polarized, Tory Burch, Modo and KLiiK. Blink is the only exclusive independent CHANEL eyewear dealer in the Lehigh Valley. This product line keeps up with the clothing industry to offer our customers the option to splurge on an affordable accessory for their face. We strive to bring the big-city trends to you conveniently here in a local small-business environment. We order frames all year round, which helps the inventory to always be fresh and exciting.
How does your staff stay up to date on trends and remain knowledgeable about the store's inventory?
I believe this certainly comes from outside sources, such as our frame reps teaching us what is new with their company and the storyline the frames represent for the season. Industry magazines and style magazines are a big help to know what the public is seeing out there as well. We maintain our frame displays by changing product and updating and changing colors and sizes displayed daily.
Is there an eyewear trend that you're particularly excited about for this fall?
We are excited to offer a new lens from Hoya that is a mirrored transition product called Sensity. This means that when the UV light from the sun hits the lens, the lens darkens and also presents a mirror coating—not your grandpa's old Transitions lenses. They're very hip, functional and come in three different color varieties—great for a second pair.
Fall and winter are all about color and shape. The square is back. The old aviator is new once again. The large shapes are back to stay. I'm always excited to put a frame on a patient that they may not choose themselves. We are creatures of habit and migrate to what we know. Our goal is to get you out of your comfort zone and try new things—you just may look 10 years younger by changing your style, we do it every day.
We do two frame sales yearly—one in April and one in November—40 percent off anything in the store for five hours. Shop Small on November 30!
What are your tips for people struggling to select the right pair of glasses or sunglasses for their face shape?
I created the store with a hands-on approach for the customer. I didn't want people to feel intimidated by a $600 frame, I wanted them to be able to touch it, fall in love with it and try it on—not hide it behind glass and have to ask to see it. I feel that way shopping in some boutiques and I didn't want that for my customer. The store is designed with inviting paint colors and many mirrors for people to have fun and embrace our products.
Truly, trying the frames on is the first way to see what actually may work. My team of opticians is a group that is very honest, which is the other hurdle. So many optical shops let the patient choose without very much help from the staff, and the frame may not fit functionally. If your face is more round, we may suggest something with angles—not a circular style. If your face is more elongated, sometimes a more horizontal line can add more interest. Cat eyes are a timeless style—that slight uplift is always a plus. Our intention is to keep you wanting more and referring us to your friends and family.
What do you love most about being based in the Lehigh Valley, specifically, in Allentown?
Allentown is a big small town. My husband grew up here but I am a transplant—19 years ago from a small town in West Virginia. At first, I wasn't sure how I would fit in to such a large city, but Allentown has embraced Blink and me as an optometrist.
We are in a unique area of the West End of Allentown—as I look at it, a destination spot. In the fast-paced, immediate-gratification phase of internet shopping, I am proud to be a free-standing independent optical shop in Allentown, offering a small-town vibe to our customers for years to come.
I love being out to dinner or at the grocery store and seeing our frames on familiar faces and being able to stop and chat and know they had a wonderful time with us at Blink. It is very humbling.
524 19th St., Allentown | 610.351.4848 | blinkon19th.com
