00:00:00Welcome to Good Neighbor Podcast
00:00:38Introducing Aura Optical Boutique
00:01:52Misconceptions About Eyewear Quality
00:03:38Marketing and Insurance Coverage
00:05:31Personal Lives and Business Challenges
00:08:01Finding Aura Optical
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
What makes Steve Casey and John Kaudewitz with Aura Optical a good neighbor?
Eyewear shouldn't be an afterthought—it's the accessory you wear every day, sitting front and center on your face. Yet so many of us settle for cookie-cutter glasses from chain stores or overpay for luxury brands that lack personality. That's exactly the gap Steven Casey and John Kaudewitz identified before opening Aura Optical in downtown Johnson City.
Their modern eyewear boutique reimagines what buying glasses should feel like. Walking into their space on East Main Street feels "more like a cozy cafe than a clinic," with warm lighting, abundant greenery, and locally roasted coffee served while you browse their thoughtfully curated collection. No rushed appointments, no pressure sales tactics—just genuine care and exceptional service.
A common misconception they're quick to dispel? That independent optical shops are always more expensive than chains. Aura Optical offers frames across various price points without compromising quality, and they accept most major vision insurance plans including VSP, iMed, UnitedHealthcare, Spectera, and Superior. For those without insurance, they've created competitive package pricing that makes sense for real people.
What makes this seven-month-old business truly special is their philosophy that eyewear should reflect your personality. As Steven poignantly shares, "It isn't just a place to buy glasses. It's a space where people are truly seen, both literally and emotionally." Every frame on their shelves has been intentionally selected—no fillers, no afterthoughts—ensuring you'll find something that feels authentically you.
Ready to experience eyewear shopping the way it should be? Visit Aura Optical at 312 East Main Street (next to Mulligan's Pub), check out their website at auraopticalco.com, or follow their Instagram @aura_optical_JC for a glimpse into their unique collection and vibrant shop atmosphere. Your eyes—and your sense of style—will thank you.
To learn more about Aura Optical go to:
Aura Optical
(423) 202-6145
English
United States
SHOW NOTES 🔗
TRANSCRIPT 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:00.059 --> 00:00:04.972
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together.
00:00:04.972 --> 00:00:08.169
Here's your host, Skip Monning.
00:00:11.840 --> 00:00:15.031
Hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast of the Tri-Cities.
00:00:15.031 --> 00:00:23.486
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.
00:00:23.486 --> 00:00:38.176
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.
00:00:38.176 --> 00:00:43.405
Hello, hope you're having a good day yeah so far so far.
00:00:43.424 --> 00:00:44.447
All right, so far, so far.
00:00:44.926 --> 00:00:46.168
All right, so far, so good.
00:00:46.168 --> 00:00:51.335
So, like I said, super excited to learn all about you guys and your enterprise.
00:00:56.462 --> 00:00:58.685
If you don't mind, why don't you start us off by telling us what you do?
00:00:58.685 --> 00:00:59.966
Yeah, so a little about Aura Optical.
00:00:59.966 --> 00:01:04.432
You know we are a modern kind of a bespoke eyewear boutique.
00:01:04.432 --> 00:01:06.655
We're nestled in the heart of downtown Johnson City.
00:01:06.655 --> 00:01:14.069
We specialize in thoughtfully curated, high quality frames that blend exceptional design, comfort and craftsmanship.
00:01:14.069 --> 00:01:17.108
So our space is a little different than most.
00:01:17.108 --> 00:01:20.149
It feels more like a cozy cafe than a clinic.
00:01:20.149 --> 00:01:25.424
It's warm, relaxed, we've got a lot of greenery, we've got a lot of plants.
00:01:25.424 --> 00:01:36.111
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.
00:01:36.111 --> 00:01:37.561
Oh nice.
00:01:37.783 --> 00:01:39.629
Now, where's the, where's the coffee roasted?
00:01:40.921 --> 00:01:45.195
On the tree streets, not too far away On the tree streets not too far away.
00:01:50.620 --> 00:01:51.421
Nice, very nice, very nice, very cool.
00:01:51.441 --> 00:01:52.343
Well, guys, how did you get into this business?
00:01:52.343 --> 00:02:01.915
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.
00:02:01.915 --> 00:02:08.311
So we wanted to create a space that felt both personal and elevated, where style and eye care could live in harmony.
00:02:08.311 --> 00:02:17.701
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.
00:02:20.264 --> 00:02:20.944
Very nice.
00:02:20.944 --> 00:02:32.475
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.
00:02:32.475 --> 00:02:34.157
So, yeah, very refreshing.
00:02:34.157 --> 00:02:38.883
So what are in the optical business?
00:02:38.883 --> 00:02:40.525
What are some myths or misconceptions that you know of business?
00:02:40.525 --> 00:02:44.169
What are some myths or misconceptions that you know of?
00:02:45.629 --> 00:02:48.693
Well, a big one is that all you know eyeglasses are the same.
00:02:48.693 --> 00:02:51.135
You know, as long as they look good, they're good enough.
00:02:51.135 --> 00:02:59.050
But the reality is quality eyewear can drastically affect comfort, vision clarity and even your eye health.
00:02:59.050 --> 00:03:02.644
Another myth really is that independent optical shops are always more expensive than chains.
00:03:02.644 --> 00:03:07.667
But we offer a range of frames and lenses that fit different budgets without compromising on quality.
00:03:07.667 --> 00:03:19.665
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.
00:03:19.665 --> 00:03:23.443
We really take our time in picking out what we carry.
00:03:25.004 --> 00:03:25.605
Very nice.
00:03:25.605 --> 00:03:27.608
Very nice, not always more expensive.
00:03:27.608 --> 00:03:30.569
That's very good to know and that is a misconception.
00:03:30.569 --> 00:03:34.354
I think that people think so.
00:03:34.354 --> 00:03:40.939
Marketing is key to just about any kind of business, especially locally owned small businesses.
00:03:40.939 --> 00:03:42.800
How do you guys market your store?
00:03:50.664 --> 00:03:56.038
So our customers are people who value quality, style, personalized service, so that includes professionals, creatives, anyone tired of the cookie cutter glasses experience.
00:03:56.038 --> 00:04:05.180
So we attract them through intentional branding, community involvement and by cultivating an in-store experience that makes people feel seen and appreciated.
00:04:05.180 --> 00:04:12.270
So word of mouth and social media have been huge for us and appreciated.
00:04:12.391 --> 00:04:15.556
So word of mouth and social media have been huge for us.
00:04:15.556 --> 00:04:18.101
Word of mouth and social media Very good.
00:04:18.101 --> 00:04:21.646
Can't beat word of mouth Absolutely.
00:04:21.646 --> 00:04:22.408
Quality and service drives that.
00:04:22.408 --> 00:04:23.812
So you guys seem to have that under control.
00:04:23.833 --> 00:04:24.696
How long have you guys been in business?
00:04:24.696 --> 00:04:27.488
We opened around the end of August, early September last year.
00:04:27.488 --> 00:04:32.072
Oh, cool, so fairly new, Pretty new yeah about seven months.
00:04:32.944 --> 00:04:33.848
Awesome, awesome.
00:04:33.848 --> 00:04:35.012
Well, congratulations on that.
00:04:35.012 --> 00:04:37.850
What about insurance?
00:04:37.850 --> 00:04:44.875
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.
00:04:44.875 --> 00:04:46.932
How do you guys approach insurance?
00:04:48.485 --> 00:04:51.675
So we do take most of the major insurance companies.
00:04:51.675 --> 00:04:57.494
It's it's kind of a must, especially starting out as a as a cold start with a zero patient base.
00:04:57.494 --> 00:05:03.598
So we take VSP, imed, united Healthcare, spectera and Superior.
00:05:03.598 --> 00:05:23.701
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.
00:05:24.766 --> 00:05:25.891
Gotcha Very good to know.
00:05:25.891 --> 00:05:29.435
So, outside of work, what do you guys like to do for fun?
00:05:31.286 --> 00:05:36.497
When I'm not here, I'm usually hiking or mountain biking, paddle boarding, spending time with my friends and family.
00:05:36.497 --> 00:05:41.416
I also do a little stargazing sometimes and I do Spartan races.
00:05:41.416 --> 00:05:43.610
I like to get down and dirty with those.
00:05:44.795 --> 00:05:53.526
Nice come on nice, john.
00:05:53.526 --> 00:06:12.026
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?
00:06:12.067 --> 00:06:12.769
watch too many.
00:06:12.769 --> 00:06:22.012
Yeah, my wife too, man, we watch so much, so many of these, and especially the streaming series.
00:06:22.012 --> 00:06:25.053
Now it's like you can't just watch one.
00:06:25.053 --> 00:06:28.795
You got to watch 12 in a row and not sleep.
00:06:28.795 --> 00:06:32.165
It is, it is.
00:06:32.165 --> 00:06:32.869
So let's change gears for a second.
00:06:32.869 --> 00:06:43.649
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?
00:06:45.495 --> 00:06:52.276
I mean really I'm going to say opening a business during uncertain times, especially in a retail setting, was definitely a challenge.
00:06:52.276 --> 00:07:05.911
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.
00:07:05.911 --> 00:07:09.665
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.
00:07:09.665 --> 00:07:14.329
So I mean that was a challenge we both took on together and something we'd never done.
00:07:14.329 --> 00:07:16.612
We never started a business, owned a business.
00:07:16.612 --> 00:07:21.946
So I mean that was, it has been, is and has been quite a challenge.
00:07:23.468 --> 00:07:25.713
Amen, brother, I couldn't agree more.
00:07:25.713 --> 00:07:27.660
This is my small business and, yeah, it's scary.
00:07:27.660 --> 00:07:36.437
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.
00:07:36.437 --> 00:07:36.538
Yeah.
00:07:37.661 --> 00:07:38.968
So I mean the feedback's been great.
00:07:38.968 --> 00:07:48.961
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.
00:07:50.345 --> 00:07:52.591
Awesome, awesome, very good.
00:07:52.591 --> 00:07:59.865
Well, if you guys could think of one thing that you would like our listeners to remember about Aura Optical, what would that be?
00:08:01.387 --> 00:08:11.555
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.
00:08:11.555 --> 00:08:14.523
It isn't just a place to buy glasses.
00:08:14.523 --> 00:08:18.512
It's a space where people are truly seen, both literally and emotionally.
00:08:18.512 --> 00:08:24.952
Eyewear should reflect your personality, and we're here to help you find a pair that feels like you.
00:08:27.261 --> 00:08:28.666
Very good, very good.
00:08:28.666 --> 00:08:42.835
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?
00:08:44.537 --> 00:08:46.538
Well, you can find us on our website at auraopticalco optician.
00:08:46.538 --> 00:08:47.259
How can we learn more?
00:08:47.259 --> 00:08:49.807
Well, you can find us on our website at auraopticalco we.
00:08:49.807 --> 00:08:51.230
Also you can follow us on Instagram.
00:08:51.230 --> 00:08:56.104
We are aura underscore optical underscore JC.
00:08:56.104 --> 00:08:58.731
For kind of a peek into our frame collection and our in-store vibe.
00:08:58.731 --> 00:09:03.552
Or, if you're in town, you can stop by our location, which is at 312 East Main Street.
00:09:03.552 --> 00:09:06.527
We're just next to Mulligan's Pub downtown.
00:09:07.669 --> 00:09:15.293
Oh, Lord, I would weigh 500 pounds if my office was next to Mulligan's.
00:09:15.293 --> 00:09:19.467
It's hard to resist, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
00:09:19.467 --> 00:09:21.124
Yeah, we won't talk about beer either.
00:09:21.203 --> 00:09:24.011
But anyway, they have been great news.
00:09:24.011 --> 00:09:28.145
They've been very welcoming, so the whole downtown community has been great to us.
00:09:29.089 --> 00:09:30.331
Awesome, awesome.
00:09:30.331 --> 00:09:44.994
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.
00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:46.562
We appreciate it.
00:09:46.562 --> 00:09:47.365
Thanks for having us on.
00:09:47.365 --> 00:09:48.628
Thank you very much.
00:09:49.610 --> 00:09:57.610
Absolutely, and maybe we can have you back when you hit a milestone, maybe your first anniversary.
00:09:57.610 --> 00:09:59.033
That would be great.
00:09:59.354 --> 00:10:01.865
I'd love to All right, Sounds great guys.
00:10:03.059 --> 00:10:04.065
I hope you all have a great rest of the day.
00:10:04.065 --> 00:10:04.447
We'll see you soon.
00:10:04.447 --> 00:10:05.029
All right, Sounds great guys.
00:10:05.049 --> 00:10:05.913
I hope you all have a great rest of the day.
00:10:05.913 --> 00:10:06.296
We'll see you soon.
00:10:06.296 --> 00:10:07.019
All right, you too, thanks, thank you.
00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:09.499
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
00:10:09.499 --> 00:10:16.092
To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnptry-citiescom.
00:10:16.092 --> 00:10:25.972
That's gnptry-citiescom, or call 423-719-5873.
00:00:00.059 --> 00:00:04.972
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together.
00:00:04.972 --> 00:00:08.169
Here's your host, Skip Monning.
00:00:11.840 --> 00:00:15.031
Hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast of the Tri-Cities.
00:00:15.031 --> 00:00:23.486
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.
00:00:23.486 --> 00:00:38.176
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.
00:00:38.176 --> 00:00:43.405
Hello, hope you're having a good day yeah so far so far.
00:00:43.424 --> 00:00:44.447
All right, so far, so far.
00:00:44.926 --> 00:00:46.168
All right, so far, so good.
00:00:46.168 --> 00:00:51.335
So, like I said, super excited to learn all about you guys and your enterprise.
00:00:56.462 --> 00:00:58.685
If you don't mind, why don't you start us off by telling us what you do?
00:00:58.685 --> 00:00:59.966
Yeah, so a little about Aura Optical.
00:00:59.966 --> 00:01:04.432
You know we are a modern kind of a bespoke eyewear boutique.
00:01:04.432 --> 00:01:06.655
We're nestled in the heart of downtown Johnson City.
00:01:06.655 --> 00:01:14.069
We specialize in thoughtfully curated, high quality frames that blend exceptional design, comfort and craftsmanship.
00:01:14.069 --> 00:01:17.108
So our space is a little different than most.
00:01:17.108 --> 00:01:20.149
It feels more like a cozy cafe than a clinic.
00:01:20.149 --> 00:01:25.424
It's warm, relaxed, we've got a lot of greenery, we've got a lot of plants.
00:01:25.424 --> 00:01:36.111
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.
00:01:36.111 --> 00:01:37.561
Oh nice.
00:01:37.783 --> 00:01:39.629
Now, where's the, where's the coffee roasted?
00:01:40.921 --> 00:01:45.195
On the tree streets, not too far away On the tree streets not too far away.
00:01:50.620 --> 00:01:51.421
Nice, very nice, very nice, very cool.
00:01:51.441 --> 00:01:52.343
Well, guys, how did you get into this business?
00:01:52.343 --> 00:02:01.915
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.
00:02:01.915 --> 00:02:08.311
So we wanted to create a space that felt both personal and elevated, where style and eye care could live in harmony.
00:02:08.311 --> 00:02:17.701
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.
00:02:20.264 --> 00:02:20.944
Very nice.
00:02:20.944 --> 00:02:32.475
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.
00:02:32.475 --> 00:02:34.157
So, yeah, very refreshing.
00:02:34.157 --> 00:02:38.883
So what are in the optical business?
00:02:38.883 --> 00:02:40.525
What are some myths or misconceptions that you know of business?
00:02:40.525 --> 00:02:44.169
What are some myths or misconceptions that you know of?
00:02:45.629 --> 00:02:48.693
Well, a big one is that all you know eyeglasses are the same.
00:02:48.693 --> 00:02:51.135
You know, as long as they look good, they're good enough.
00:02:51.135 --> 00:02:59.050
But the reality is quality eyewear can drastically affect comfort, vision clarity and even your eye health.
00:02:59.050 --> 00:03:02.644
Another myth really is that independent optical shops are always more expensive than chains.
00:03:02.644 --> 00:03:07.667
But we offer a range of frames and lenses that fit different budgets without compromising on quality.
00:03:07.667 --> 00:03:19.665
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.
00:03:19.665 --> 00:03:23.443
We really take our time in picking out what we carry.
00:03:25.004 --> 00:03:25.605
Very nice.
00:03:25.605 --> 00:03:27.608
Very nice, not always more expensive.
00:03:27.608 --> 00:03:30.569
That's very good to know and that is a misconception.
00:03:30.569 --> 00:03:34.354
I think that people think so.
00:03:34.354 --> 00:03:40.939
Marketing is key to just about any kind of business, especially locally owned small businesses.
00:03:40.939 --> 00:03:42.800
How do you guys market your store?
00:03:50.664 --> 00:03:56.038
So our customers are people who value quality, style, personalized service, so that includes professionals, creatives, anyone tired of the cookie cutter glasses experience.
00:03:56.038 --> 00:04:05.180
So we attract them through intentional branding, community involvement and by cultivating an in-store experience that makes people feel seen and appreciated.
00:04:05.180 --> 00:04:12.270
So word of mouth and social media have been huge for us and appreciated.
00:04:12.391 --> 00:04:15.556
So word of mouth and social media have been huge for us.
00:04:15.556 --> 00:04:18.101
Word of mouth and social media Very good.
00:04:18.101 --> 00:04:21.646
Can't beat word of mouth Absolutely.
00:04:21.646 --> 00:04:22.408
Quality and service drives that.
00:04:22.408 --> 00:04:23.812
So you guys seem to have that under control.
00:04:23.833 --> 00:04:24.696
How long have you guys been in business?
00:04:24.696 --> 00:04:27.488
We opened around the end of August, early September last year.
00:04:27.488 --> 00:04:32.072
Oh, cool, so fairly new, Pretty new yeah about seven months.
00:04:32.944 --> 00:04:33.848
Awesome, awesome.
00:04:33.848 --> 00:04:35.012
Well, congratulations on that.
00:04:35.012 --> 00:04:37.850
What about insurance?
00:04:37.850 --> 00:04:44.875
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.
00:04:44.875 --> 00:04:46.932
How do you guys approach insurance?
00:04:48.485 --> 00:04:51.675
So we do take most of the major insurance companies.
00:04:51.675 --> 00:04:57.494
It's it's kind of a must, especially starting out as a as a cold start with a zero patient base.
00:04:57.494 --> 00:05:03.598
So we take VSP, imed, united Healthcare, spectera and Superior.
00:05:03.598 --> 00:05:23.701
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.
00:05:24.766 --> 00:05:25.891
Gotcha Very good to know.
00:05:25.891 --> 00:05:29.435
So, outside of work, what do you guys like to do for fun?
00:05:31.286 --> 00:05:36.497
When I'm not here, I'm usually hiking or mountain biking, paddle boarding, spending time with my friends and family.
00:05:36.497 --> 00:05:41.416
I also do a little stargazing sometimes and I do Spartan races.
00:05:41.416 --> 00:05:43.610
I like to get down and dirty with those.
00:05:44.795 --> 00:05:53.526
Nice come on nice, john.
00:05:53.526 --> 00:06:12.026
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?
00:06:12.067 --> 00:06:12.769
watch too many.
00:06:12.769 --> 00:06:22.012
Yeah, my wife too, man, we watch so much, so many of these, and especially the streaming series.
00:06:22.012 --> 00:06:25.053
Now it's like you can't just watch one.
00:06:25.053 --> 00:06:28.795
You got to watch 12 in a row and not sleep.
00:06:28.795 --> 00:06:32.165
It is, it is.
00:06:32.165 --> 00:06:32.869
So let's change gears for a second.
00:06:32.869 --> 00:06:43.649
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?
00:06:45.495 --> 00:06:52.276
I mean really I'm going to say opening a business during uncertain times, especially in a retail setting, was definitely a challenge.
00:06:52.276 --> 00:07:05.911
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.
00:07:05.911 --> 00:07:09.665
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.
00:07:09.665 --> 00:07:14.329
So I mean that was a challenge we both took on together and something we'd never done.
00:07:14.329 --> 00:07:16.612
We never started a business, owned a business.
00:07:16.612 --> 00:07:21.946
So I mean that was, it has been, is and has been quite a challenge.
00:07:23.468 --> 00:07:25.713
Amen, brother, I couldn't agree more.
00:07:25.713 --> 00:07:27.660
This is my small business and, yeah, it's scary.
00:07:27.660 --> 00:07:36.437
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.
00:07:36.437 --> 00:07:36.538
Yeah.
00:07:37.661 --> 00:07:38.968
So I mean the feedback's been great.
00:07:38.968 --> 00:07:48.961
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.
00:07:50.345 --> 00:07:52.591
Awesome, awesome, very good.
00:07:52.591 --> 00:07:59.865
Well, if you guys could think of one thing that you would like our listeners to remember about Aura Optical, what would that be?
00:08:01.387 --> 00:08:11.555
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.
00:08:11.555 --> 00:08:14.523
It isn't just a place to buy glasses.
00:08:14.523 --> 00:08:18.512
It's a space where people are truly seen, both literally and emotionally.
00:08:18.512 --> 00:08:24.952
Eyewear should reflect your personality, and we're here to help you find a pair that feels like you.
00:08:27.261 --> 00:08:28.666
Very good, very good.
00:08:28.666 --> 00:08:42.835
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?
00:08:44.537 --> 00:08:46.538
Well, you can find us on our website at auraopticalco optician.
00:08:46.538 --> 00:08:47.259
How can we learn more?
00:08:47.259 --> 00:08:49.807
Well, you can find us on our website at auraopticalco we.
00:08:49.807 --> 00:08:51.230
Also you can follow us on Instagram.
00:08:51.230 --> 00:08:56.104
We are aura underscore optical underscore JC.
00:08:56.104 --> 00:08:58.731
For kind of a peek into our frame collection and our in-store vibe.
00:08:58.731 --> 00:09:03.552
Or, if you're in town, you can stop by our location, which is at 312 East Main Street.
00:09:03.552 --> 00:09:06.527
We're just next to Mulligan's Pub downtown.
00:09:07.669 --> 00:09:15.293
Oh, Lord, I would weigh 500 pounds if my office was next to Mulligan's.
00:09:15.293 --> 00:09:19.467
It's hard to resist, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
00:09:19.467 --> 00:09:21.124
Yeah, we won't talk about beer either.
00:09:21.203 --> 00:09:24.011
But anyway, they have been great news.
00:09:24.011 --> 00:09:28.145
They've been very welcoming, so the whole downtown community has been great to us.
00:09:29.089 --> 00:09:30.331
Awesome, awesome.
00:09:30.331 --> 00:09:44.994
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.
00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:46.562
We appreciate it.
00:09:46.562 --> 00:09:47.365
Thanks for having us on.
00:09:47.365 --> 00:09:48.628
Thank you very much.
00:09:49.610 --> 00:09:57.610
Absolutely, and maybe we can have you back when you hit a milestone, maybe your first anniversary.
00:09:57.610 --> 00:09:59.033
That would be great.
00:09:59.354 --> 00:10:01.865
I'd love to All right, Sounds great guys.
00:10:03.059 --> 00:10:04.065
I hope you all have a great rest of the day.
00:10:04.065 --> 00:10:04.447
We'll see you soon.
00:10:04.447 --> 00:10:05.029
All right, Sounds great guys.
00:10:05.049 --> 00:10:05.913
I hope you all have a great rest of the day.
00:10:05.913 --> 00:10:06.296
We'll see you soon.
00:10:06.296 --> 00:10:07.019
All right, you too, thanks, thank you.
00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:09.499
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
00:10:09.499 --> 00:10:16.092
To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnptry-citiescom.
00:10:16.092 --> 00:10:25.972
That's gnptry-citiescom, or call 423-719-5873.
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