Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 27/99) - Optometrist Paul Tanner has consolidated his two eye-wear shops into one larger operation at Frame Lake.

Tanner started the Lens Shop in the Panda Mall five years ago.

About a year ago, he opened the Family Vision Centre at Frame Lake.

The new Frame Lake location combines the Lens Shops' designer eye-wear and contact-lens sales with Family Vision's lab work.

Despite the consolidation, Tanner said business is good.

In fact, sales have jumped about 30 per cent in each of the past three years to almost $500,000, he said.

And the new combined shop occupies a much larger space, he said.

Family Vision Centre now has about 270 square metres of floor space beside Extra Foods.

In Yellowknife, a key to success is to "over-service the customer," Tanner said. One such "over-servicing" is free delivery.

To accommodate downtown customers who previously enjoyed the business' Panda II Mall location, Tanner is giving the free-delivery service a higher profile.

Asked what's the latest style in eye-wear, Tanner said heavy plastic frames are big now. For lenses, customers are taking a minimalist approach. People are looking for glasses that look like they don't have any lenses at all.

When it comes to speed, Kelley Philippon said the business can often have a customer outfitted the same day.

Philippon is the Family Vision Centre's manager. Philippon, who has been with the centre for over three years, is also Tanner's sister.

Despite a number of recent business closures in Yellowknife, Philippon and Tanner are very optimistic about the future of the Family Vision Centre.

Philippon, who has lived in the North for 29 years, said the economy "always seems to swing back up."