Originally called Gray’s Optical, Vogue Optical opened in 1979 with one store on the corner of Brackley Point Road and Belvedere Avenue in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. It has expanded from this modest beginning to 70 plus locations across Canada––eight of them are in HRM––employing over 400 people.
“With our unbeatable ‘2nd Pair Free Policy’, our initial vision was to offer a unique combination of quality eyewear, professional services and unbeatable value,” says Ernie Yarn, Nova Scotia Regional Supervisor at Vogue Optical.
Vogue Optical believes in its products and services, and that’s why they offer simple, hassle-free policies. After more than 40 years in the business, the team continues to provide customers with terrific value.
“And we attribute our success to an excellent staff, loyal customers and great products and prices.”
The team’s dedication to ensuring customers’ eye health is the primary focus. That dedication was put to the test during the pandemic shut down last year, when the team continued to go into stores with their doors locked to provide curb side service for emergency eyewear services.
“They ensured everyone had at least one pair or working eyewear to get them through until we reopened,” says Yarn.
Some staff members even went out of their way to pick up, repair and deliver to some of the most vulnerable customers such as seniors. “This is really how this team operates all year long,” she says. “They truly care about their customers and their needs and concerns.”
Like all other businesses, Vogue Optical had to adopt an aggressive protocol to protect staff, customers and doctors during COVID. “There are stringent guidelines we must adhere to as far as social distancing, sanitizing, etc.,” says Yarn. “It has been challenging, but our staff has risen to the occasion.”
Thousands of Vogue Optical customers reached out about broken or lost eyewear during the shutdown. The pandemic served as a reminder to have up-to-date eye exams and a “spare pair” in case of an emergency.
“I think it’s really made people realize how important their vision and eye health are to their everyday life,” she says. Successfully built by creating strong relationships with customers, the eye-care community and its suppliers, “Vogue values each and every client to make sure we have a long standing relationship between us.”
This dedication is a true reflection of the culture at Vogue Optical. It’s built on hard work, attention to detail and a real team approach to supporting one another.
“We have a very well rounded diversified staff in a wide range of ages and knowledge,” says Yarn. “They work together as a team especially in markets such as the Halifax area, and they’re quick to fill in for a staff member not only in their store but in another location if needed.”
“We try especially hard to make working at Vogue an extension of family.”
With majority of the staff working there for more than 15 years, the company is set up for success thanks to their wealth of knowledge. “We always strive to be leaders in products and technologies available in order to offer our customers products that fit their individual lifestyle,” she says.
Vogue Optical plays an active role in the communities they serve. It’s also growing internally and expanding as new stores are being added to the company’s pool with new acquisitions across the country.
“We see a bright future!” says Yarn. ■
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