04/09/2026
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This article from the Profit Advisor, a ABB Optical Group publication, does a good job of sharing the Suburban Opticians story. Check it out!
Suburban Opticians has been an institution in Tacoma, Washington, since 1971. What began as a single shop has evolved into a second-generation independent optical practice that prides itself on skilled care, longstanding vendor and customer relationships and a commitment to doing things differently. âMy father, Lloyd Neil, opened his first optical company in 1971,â says Melissa Rodriguez, owner of Suburban Opticians. âHe just wanted to be an independent businessman. He started his career working in an optical lab and decided to become an entrepreneur. In the early days, he was making most of his income making safety glasses and taking on whatever work allowed him to stay independent.â
The business grew quickly. In 1973, Rodriguezâs older sister, Pam Neil Rhodes, joined their father in the business, bringing âthe fashion and design components while our father handled the opticianry,âRodriguez says. For a time in the 1980s, the business grew into five independent stores across the region. But rapid expansion came with trade-offs. âWe ended up downsizing because it became challenging to provide the level of quality my father wanted,â says Rodriguez, who bought the business from her sister in 2019.
Since 1995, Suburban Opticians has operated from a single locationâa decision that anchored the practice in the community and put consistent service above scale. That consistency shows in the shopâs clientele and staff. Rodriguez notes that Suburban still employs two licensed opticians, besides herself, with about 45 years of experience each, and many patients are multigenerational. âWe have patients who say, âYour dad fit me with my first glasses when I was 12,ââ she says. âNow they bring their kids and family. People come to us for the level of knowledge, patience and care we take with each prescription.â
Suburban Opticians sources its lenses through independent ABB Labs, a business partnership Rodriguez describes as âincredible. ABB came to me about 15years ago,â she says. About 80% of the lenses Suburban brings in come through from ABB Labs. Suburban Opticians also holds onto technical capabilities that fewer shops offer today. âWe still edge lenses in our store,â she says. âIf a customer has a favorite frame or only one, we can order uncut lenses from ABB. A few days later, opticians can put the lenses in while the patient waits. Thatâs a legacy Iâd like to continue.â
Business partnership rooted in serviceIn addition to the broad product portfolio, ABB brings a business model rooted in patient service. ABB Manager, Lab Sales Nick Folkers and her Optical SalesConsultant provide Rodriguez with Business Reviews that help her strategize whatâs next for an independent optical.They understand her space in the market. âOur demographic is a bit older,â she says. âIt will be a challenge over the next five to ten years to bring in a younger, sustainable clientele that doesnât rely solely on managed care.â
Her ABB business partners understand she doesnât want to compete with big-box stores, online sellers and chains. âI need to bring in more exclusive products and combine them with exceptional customer service to create something patients want to pay for,â she says. She added Anagram to her business model, allowing her to provide her customers with real-time, out-of-network processing. That shift has improved her cash flow and made the business more efficient.
Her commitment to quality has been tested and proven. Customers who went to less expensive sellers came back to her, saying they learned their lesson. âFrames didnât last, and the warranties or customer service didnât match.â
Whether with customers or with her business partners, those relationships built on reputation matter. âThis industry has changed a lot in 27 years,â she says. âBoard management, private equity and changing vendor behavior have shifted how people do business. I choose to partner with labs and frame vendors where relationships are still alive. I want to feel and touch frames, for example. I donât want to do that on an iPad. The relationship portion of the business is equal in importance to product.â
As Suburban Opticians navigates demographics, competition and changing vendor landscapes, Rodriguez is determined to preserve the shopâs core: expert, patient-centered care delivered with the craftsmanship her father started decades ago. âWe try to maintain the same level of customer service he wanted to bring to the community. That legacyâskill, care and community trustâis what weâre building on.â
via https://www.qgdigitalpublishing.com/publication/?i=862058&p=1&view=issueViewer
