A few years ago, I wrote a note to myself that I wanted to spread the word and hype some of my favorite small businesses/business owners. I want people to experience what I feel when I visit these special places. Hope you enjoy. ~ MK |
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NAME: Jordan Silver BUSINESS: Silver Lining Opticians TIME IN BUSINESS: 16 Years LOCATION: 92 Thompson Street, between Prince & Spring, across Vesuvio Park. Silver Lining is owned by Jordan Silver and Erik Sacher. If you happen by, you’ll find Jordan tinkering on a pair of glasses. Guy will be indelibly setting the mood. Interview was edited and condensed for clarity. |
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MK: So, let's start at the beginning. How did you get into eyewear? What was your entry point? JS: In college I moved to Paris for a semester, and some friends told me I needed sunglasses - so I would seem less like a tourist and get through the world without making as much eye contact. But before that, my father wore tinted glasses all the time and I thought he was in the Mafia - he always looked really cool. I collected his vintage glasses and used to buy some at flea markets. In college I started buying a lot of vintage glasses, from people who used to own stores and whenever I would travel I'd go to their stores and houses, and buy everything in their basement for cheap. My first job at an optical store was right after high school as a part time job, and I had a vintage collection I used to sell from there, and people just responded really well, and a couple years later we opened this store. The vintage shades and eyeglasses taught us a lot about the quality that used to be made and informed our buying decisions going forward – to just carry brands that had that same construction ethos and quality. MK: So, you're still in the vintage game? JS: Yes, but it's a smaller portion of our business because there's not as much vintage as there used to be. So, we sell a number of contemporary brands that are not sold anywhere else in the neighborhood. All the brands we carry are of the highest quality. We're a place of discovery so very few people come in asking for something specific, but rather to find something new. |
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MK: How have you made your mark in the game for over 16 years now? Why are you different? JS: We don't carry any licensed merchandise. No Luxottica, or licensed brands. Prada is an amazing brand, and their clothing and bags are all made by them, but when you get to their fragrance and makeup and sunglasses it's all licensed and not the core, and it becomes a cheap entry point for buying into the brand. We don't subscribe to that business model; we work with companies that have eyewear as their only focus. MK: You basically curate a person's whole look. I remember so vividly, we were having an espresso, you told me, “Men look at shoes, and women are looking at your face and your eyewear, so you need to get that dialed in." That stuck with me. JS: I mean, If I wear selvedge denim and really nice shoes, I don't think the women notice that as much as other dudes into fashion, but what you wear on your face is really noticeable immediately. MK: There is a method to your madness, I've experienced it: I walk in, and we try things, lots of things. It's fun, but a process. JS: Yeah, but it's more about your personal style. I mean with you, you're always happy to experiment with new things, shapes, try on new things, and that's always really fun to work with. It's harder to work with someone that says they “only wear tortoise shell.” Shopping by color isn't as effective in my mind as shopping by shape. We try to get people to see that the shape matters. |
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MK: Yeah, it's an experience in here, for sure. You peruse, chat, try things on. I always say this in real estate, it's important to see different things. People need context. You're kind of shepherding that process... What are we listening to right now, by the way? JS: We've been on a little bit of a jazz trip. We've gone through different periods with our music. You change the playlist all the time? GUY: Yeah. Everybody likes everything, it's really moody, it changes all the time. We are here every day, so it has to change for us, and we go on our different kicks. We just want to be in a good mood and enjoy what we're listening to. |
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MK: Well, I'm loving this. JS: There are deeper cuts usually. GUY: They can be, they can be. It might be the most shallow cut in the world; it could be Oscar Peterson Trio and the next song might be Fergie. If you don't like the music, sit tight, just sit tight. That's my philosophy. MK: Retail in NYC is bonkers. What are your highlights & lowlights of being in retail? JS: Yeah, I mean, you never know who's coming in that day. It can be customers that have dozens of pairs and it's their favorite thing. Those are good days. There are people who only buy one pair a year, and just appreciate the quality and service that we provide. We base it a lot on personal style, and I think style evolves. You may not have liked yourself in round glasses as a kid, but later you may come back around to it. When it comes to, "Can I wear a round frame? A black frame?" Of course you can. We try to help people in a different, less conventional way. |
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MK: So, what's the eyewear scene like in SoHo? JS: I feel like we've really become a destination, I mean the neighborhood itself is a destination only for eyewear shopping, there are 10 stores in Soho you can get glasses. If you're shopping around, this is a good area. We're really the only multi brand store that only carries independent eyewear. If someone asks what the highest quality brand is, they're all the highest quality brand. There's no wall of lesser frames, or insurance frames, or Medicare frames, it's all high-end independent. MK: You've done some work with some famous clientele right? What projects have your fingerprints on them? JS: Yeah, like Von Miller's eyewear collection. He now has his own line with GlassesUSA, but some of them have clearly been influenced by vintage he got here. We do actors, and do stuff for roles with stylists, that's always fun. We used to work with Jay Z. I think his stylists and assistants got to the point where they wanted to be able to replace his frames in any city, for a cheaper amount. So instead of wearing the expensive frames he always bought, he wears sort of cheaper alternatives now. MK: Not trying to name drop all your people but you've basically serviced all the stars in the eyewear game. And me. *wink* JS: Basically yeah, haha. |
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Repped by:
Scarlett Wood of New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty. |
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