Adventures in Munich (Part 1)

Hi Friends!
We are back from Opti-Munich and we wanted to tell you guys all about our  adventures!  Have you got a cuppa in front of you?Ok, great......!

Our flight from Dublin on Friday morning was at 8am, so we arrived in Munich bright and early, grabbed a coffee and took the shuttle bus directly to the tradeshow....that's dedication for you!
As you would expect from our German friends, the tradeshow was super well organised, so they had a left luggage facility for anyone travelling. We imagined alot of European guests would have flown in and out the same day!

The venue itself was HUGE, even though they say this is one of the smaller of the 'big' European tradeshows. The whole event spanned over 4 massive halls each bigger than the size of a football field (think the RDS as each hall!), with smaller stands in corridors in between. Each hall was dedicated to either frames, optical equipment, lens companies or accessories. This makes it sound like it was easy to find where everything was...and it was...it was just so overwhelming! The whole place was like a maze, I think we felt a little like were in one of those casinos where your not sure what time of day it is! Every time you turn a corner looking for the bathrooms or the exit, there is something else that catches your attention and makes you stay and look just another half hour!

Each hall had a few cafes where you could grab a snack or a coffee, but nearly every brand had either a bar or a little cafe of their own, serving beers, champagne and little bites. Some were so elaborate, we even spotted an airstream and a full sized school bus! - Check me out....I'm nearly the same size as it! ;)

So...Friday, we had made appointments to see two brands in particular. The first stop was with a French brand called 'Anne et Valentin'. We. were. blown. away. by this brand! These frames are beautiful. Handmade and so unusual, but yet totally wearable. There is a mixture of acetate frames with intricate detailing and metal frames with amazing colours and acetate mounts. They are really stunning we cannot wait for you guys to see them. We will be taking delivery in April......but in the meantime - here's a sneak peek...

Yup...amazing, right? This one is largely for the girls, but they have a small collection of men's frames also, so we didn't leave anyone out. :)

By now it was time to focus on our boys...!Our next appointment was with Danish brand 'Kilsgaard'.This brand has both a male and female collection, but we have a gap for something different in our men's collection, so we were focusing solely on them. 

In my opinion, the best word to describe Kilsgaard frames are 'architectural'. They are understated but yet meticulously designed, light, strong and modern with clean lines and matte colours. We think they will go down a treat.

We are expecting these to arrive in early March and they will be a great addition to our shelves!

What do you guys think....have we wet your appetite for our new brands?

So, we have alot more to tell you guys about the following few days in Munich. Stay tuned for part 2! 

We are off to Munich!

We are so excited to be going to our first ever Optical tradeshow in Europe, and it happens to be one of the biggest!!

Opti-Munich exhibits over 525 representitives from leading eyewear brands the world over.
We have a gap in our collection for some new brands and will be scouting exciting new exclusive ranges to add to our shelves this coming Spring and Summer.
Sometimes we will be interested in a brand that may not have representation in Ireland or England, and so visiting a tradeshow such as Opti gives us the chance to see whole collections side by side, that we may never otherwise get the chance to see in person.
As you know, we are really picky about how we choose our frames, so this means we can try styles on, feel the quality and see the true colours that browsing on a web catalogue just can't compete with!

So we are off this Friday and Saturday, 15th & 16th,  to immerse ourselves in all things optical.....can't wait!
We will have plenty of pictures and stories to share when we return.....and also a BIG reveal!.....Exciting times ahead!

We are 2!!

It's amazing to think that two years have passed since we said good bye to the builders and first opened our doors. In some ways it feels like it was yesterday and other times its like we have been in business for years!

So much has happened in the past two years. We have provided eye tests, fitted contact lenses and helped our clients choose fantastic new frames. We have also had five event evenings showcasing designer frames and lens options with discounts and prizes, with three patients winning new frames Berenice Beukes, Emma Murphy and Sinead Ni Bhroin. Last year we were runners up in The Sligo Champion Business Awards, we won a prize for our window displays from a supplier and recently we were runners up in the Optical Success Awards in Manchester - and the only practice from Ireland. Two of our patients Louise Kavanagh and Deirdre Loughlin each one a years supply of J & J daily disposable contact lenses from our suppliers. We have provided over 1000 clients from all over the north west (and beyond) with the best care, service and attention that we possibly can. And we have loved every minute of it!

People often comment on our location, we count ourselves lucky to have the practice in such a beautiful part of Sligo town. Really though, it's our wonderful neighbours that make the area for us and provide great atmosphere. It's fantastic to have great local businesses like The Wine Buff, Le Fournil Bakery, Bistro Bianconi and A Casa Mia on our doorstep! With such temptation surrounding us at all times, it can be hard to resist.....but, sure we are supporting local so it's all worth it, right?! ;)

It's not always easy to be a small local business, but just because the challenge is bigger, doesn't mean it's not worth it. We have been overwhelmed with the support from the Sligo people.

So, Happy Birthday to us! We have big plans for our little practice in the coming years, you can expect even more amazing eyewear, amazing cutting edge technology, incredible new Zeiss lenses and fantastic customer service!

Thank you for supporting us!