Boutique Eyeglass Business Marks 40 Years With Signature Styles, Service

Harris Decker’s mother, Sharon, was driven to succeed in the eyeglass business.

Someone who had worn glasses since childhood at a time when the choices were limited and largely unappealing, she decided 40 years ago to move from Queens to Westchester and help those who needed eyewear have great looking frames.

“She always felt very self-conscious about wearing glasses, so she always had it in her that she wanted to go into that world,” Harris Decker said.

Harris, who now co-owns Eye Designs with his mother in Armonk, Scarsdale and Mamaroneck, assists her in the day-to-day operations of the business she established in June 1984 across the street from their current Scarsdale shop.

What has set Eye Designs apart for the past four decades are the glasses. Almost anything you may buy at any of their stores, chances are you’re not going to find it anywhere else. Call their styles and colors funky or eclectic or any other adjective you want, the Deckers travel to industry shows domestically and abroad to search out one-of-a-kind frames in all sorts of shapes, styles and colors from small boutique designers.

You won’t find the big-name frames that may be worn by hundreds of thousands of people when you visit Eye Designs.

“We don’t carry any frames that have designer names,” said Decker, who along with his mother are both New York State-licensed opticians. “We don’t carry any frames that are mass produced. That’s now become a key word for us – mass produced.”

At any time, Eye Designs might have about 1,000 frames to choose from.

“So our standards for when we bring in a new collection are extremely high,” Decker added. “We go to trade shows all over the world, we have reps constantly coming to us to show us new product and we keep that standard extremely high. We don’t carry products that are easily available in other stores because what’s the point of that? We want different things.”

For many of Decker’s frames, there is only one of each.

Don’t be mistaken by thinking that only artsy individuals visit Eye Designs for their glasses. Decker said that their patrons include attorneys, teachers and other professionals, who are in what is often perceived as lines of work where more conservative styles are desirable. There are also plenty of eye doctors who refer patients to them for fittings or buy frames for themselves, he said.

At Eye Designs, the sales people and technicians make sure that not only will the style fit the customer but there is a perfect fit on the person’s face. The stores’ personnel will not sell glasses or let a customer leave their store with a poor fit. They also are not shy about providing honest feedback.

“If they’re like sliding down your nose, they’re not going to fit no matter how many times that patient returns to us to adjust them,” Decker said.

Each of the three stores also has an optometrist at least two days a week, he said. Therefore, if someone doesn’t have their own optometrist, they can make an appointment for an eye exam for the location of their choice.

This year is not just a milestone anniversary for the Scarsdale store but for Armonk as well. It’s been 25 years since Armonk became Eye Designs’ second home. A few years ago, the third location in Mamaroneck was opened.

In recognition of Eye Designs’ 40 years in business, the business is running a 40 Acts of Kindness campaign throughout the year. The Deckers recently donated 100 pairs of glasses to the Eastchester Lions Club.

Throughout August, the business is working with Pet Rescue in Harrison by matching customers’ donations. Random people often visit one of the stores to have their glasses adjusted. Eye Designs does not charge for the service, Decker said, but they do encourage the patron to make a donation to Pet Rescue.

“This is just the beginning. We will be doing acts of kindness that support the organizations, efforts and people who mean so much to us, our family and our business,” Decker said. “Some of our acts will be announced in advance, others will be surprises for our customers and communities. All of them will demonstrate how much we appreciate them. They are our extended family.”

To learn more about Eye Designs, visit www.eyedesignsofwestchester.com.