EP# 189: Beyond the Lens: Creating Community Through Quality Eyewear with Aura Optical

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This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together.
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Here's your host, Skip Monning.
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Hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast of the Tri-Cities.
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Today we've got two very special guests whom I'm really excited to learn all about and all about their business Really excited to learn all about and all about their business.
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And I'm sure you'll feel the same, because today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbors, mr Stephen Casey and John Kotowitz, who are the owner-operators of Aura Optical Gentlemen, welcome to the show.
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Hello, hope you're having a good day yeah so far so far.
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All right, so far, so far.
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All right, so far, so good.
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So, like I said, super excited to learn all about you guys and your enterprise.
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If you don't mind, why don't you start us off by telling us what you do?
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Yeah, so a little about Aura Optical.
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You know we are a modern kind of a bespoke eyewear boutique.
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We're nestled in the heart of downtown Johnson City.
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We specialize in thoughtfully curated, high quality frames that blend exceptional design, comfort and craftsmanship.
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So our space is a little different than most.
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It feels more like a cozy cafe than a clinic.
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It's warm, relaxed, we've got a lot of greenery, we've got a lot of plants.
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So we, you know we like the more natural aspect of things and we serve locally roasted coffee and offer a personalized, unrushed experience, kind of from the time you walk in.
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Oh nice.
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Now, where's the, where's the coffee roasted?
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On the tree streets, not too far away On the tree streets not too far away.
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Nice, very nice, very nice, very cool.
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Well, guys, how did you get into this business?
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Well, we started Aura Optical because we saw a gap in the eyewear experience and people were choosing between chain stores and luxury brands with no personality.
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So we wanted to create a space that felt both personal and elevated, where style and eye care could live in harmony.
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And we worked in the optical industry for years and owning our own practice gave us the freedom to do these things differently, focusing on genuine care and a beautiful design.
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Very nice.
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And you're right, people are having to make the choice, unfortunately, between you know the Walmart optical department and you know these chain stores.
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So, yeah, very refreshing.
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So what are in the optical business?
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What are some myths or misconceptions that you know of business?
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What are some myths or misconceptions that you know of?
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Well, a big one is that all you know eyeglasses are the same.
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You know, as long as they look good, they're good enough.
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But the reality is quality eyewear can drastically affect comfort, vision clarity and even your eye health.
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Another myth really is that independent optical shops are always more expensive than chains.
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But we offer a range of frames and lenses that fit different budgets without compromising on quality.
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So we're we're affordable, but we do focus on quality and we don't just fill the frame boards with filler frames that you know are just there to take up space.
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We really take our time in picking out what we carry.
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Very nice.
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Very nice, not always more expensive.
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That's very good to know and that is a misconception.
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I think that people think so.
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Marketing is key to just about any kind of business, especially locally owned small businesses.
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How do you guys market your store?
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So our customers are people who value quality, style, personalized service, so that includes professionals, creatives, anyone tired of the cookie cutter glasses experience.
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So we attract them through intentional branding, community involvement and by cultivating an in-store experience that makes people feel seen and appreciated.
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So word of mouth and social media have been huge for us and appreciated.
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So word of mouth and social media have been huge for us.
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Word of mouth and social media Very good.
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Can't beat word of mouth Absolutely.
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Quality and service drives that.
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So you guys seem to have that under control.
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How long have you guys been in business?
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We opened around the end of August, early September last year.
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Oh, cool, so fairly new, Pretty new yeah about seven months.
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Awesome, awesome.
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Well, congratulations on that.
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What about insurance?
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I know that's a factor too, that I don't know if there's misconceptions around that, but I know that's an issue for folks.
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How do you guys approach insurance?
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So we do take most of the major insurance companies.
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It's it's kind of a must, especially starting out as a as a cold start with a zero patient base.
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So we take VSP, imed, united Healthcare, spectera and Superior.
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So that's that's a lot of the big ones, and for those that don't have insurance or just private pay, we do offer competitive package pricing and discounts on frames in order to still give the patient a price that makes sense for them, even if they don't have insurance.
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Gotcha Very good to know.
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So, outside of work, what do you guys like to do for fun?
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When I'm not here, I'm usually hiking or mountain biking, paddle boarding, spending time with my friends and family.
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I also do a little stargazing sometimes and I do Spartan races.
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I like to get down and dirty with those.
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Nice come on nice, john.
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My free time during the summer I'm either outdoors enjoying the water on paddle boards with my boyfriend and our dog, playing tennis, running trails at a park, or I'm staying home, cooking a great meal and shamelessly binging tv shows yeah, shamelessly binging what any any particular shows that are I like so many different ones, it'd be hard to get into, I probably?
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watch too many.
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Yeah, my wife too, man, we watch so much, so many of these, and especially the streaming series.
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Now it's like you can't just watch one.
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You got to watch 12 in a row and not sleep.
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It is, it is.
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So let's change gears for a second.
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Can either one of you can take this, uh, or if you have something that that that happened together, um, can you describe a hardship or a life challenge that you've overcome and and how it made you stronger on the other side?
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I mean really I'm going to say opening a business during uncertain times, especially in a retail setting, was definitely a challenge.
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You know, we definitely had moments of doubts financial strain, logistical headaches but pushing through the early months really taught us how resilient and adaptable we really are, and that also reinforced the value of community and the importance of staying grounded in your mission.
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So I mean that was a challenge we both took on together and something we'd never done also reinforce the value of community and the importance of staying grounded in your mission.
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So I mean that was a challenge we both took on together and something we'd never done.
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We never started a business, owned a business.
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So I mean that was, it has been, is and has been quite a challenge.
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Amen, brother, I couldn't agree more.
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This is my small business and, yeah, it's scary.
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It's scary and it's not easy, but when you start seeing light at the end of the tunnel, it's very, very rewarding, I would imagine.
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Yeah.
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So I mean the feedback's been great.
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The customers and patients that come through really enjoy what we're doing and we're just, you know, getting the word out and letting people know we're here has been probably the biggest challenge.
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Awesome, awesome, very good.
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Well, if you guys could think of one thing that you would like our listeners to remember about Aura Optical, what would that be?
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Well, I wish more people knew just how much intention goes into every part of Aura Optical, from the frames that we carry to the way we greet customers at the door.
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It isn't just a place to buy glasses.
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It's a space where people are truly seen, both literally and emotionally.
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Eyewear should reflect your personality, and we're here to help you find a pair that feels like you.
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Very good, very good.
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And for those of us who are interested in checking out some frames or potentially changing eye doctors or need an eye doctor or optician, how can we learn more?
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Well, you can find us on our website at auraopticalco optician.
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How can we learn more?
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Well, you can find us on our website at auraopticalco we.
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Also you can follow us on Instagram.
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We are aura underscore optical underscore JC.
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For kind of a peek into our frame collection and our in-store vibe.
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Or, if you're in town, you can stop by our location, which is at 312 East Main Street.
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We're just next to Mulligan's Pub downtown.
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Oh, Lord, I would weigh 500 pounds if my office was next to Mulligan's.
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It's hard to resist, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
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Yeah, we won't talk about beer either.
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But anyway, they have been great news.
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They've been very welcoming, so the whole downtown community has been great to us.
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Awesome, awesome.
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Well, guys, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to talk with me and with our listeners, and we wish you and your families and your business all the best moving forward.
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We appreciate it.
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Thanks for having us on.
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Thank you very much.
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Absolutely, and maybe we can have you back when you hit a milestone, maybe your first anniversary.
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That would be great.
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I'd love to All right, Sounds great guys.
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I hope you all have a great rest of the day.
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We'll see you soon.
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All right, Sounds great guys.
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I hope you all have a great rest of the day.
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We'll see you soon.
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All right, you too, thanks, thank you.
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Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
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To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnptry-citiescom.
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That's gnptry-citiescom, or call 423-719-5873.